


The Shield of the Oracle

by rolerei



Series: The Ring Bearer [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ardyn Izunia Being An Asshole, Canon-Typical Violence, Coping, Cunnilingus, Emotional Baggage, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Female Reader, First Kiss, First Time, Flirting, Hurt/Comfort, Mindfuck, Multi, POV Bisexual Character, Post-Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, because
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-19
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2020-12-09 05:15:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 64,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20989451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rolerei/pseuds/rolerei
Summary: Insomnia had fallen. As the only surviving member of Kingsglaive still loyal to the Crown, you accepted the responsibility of guarding the Oracle while she journeyed Eos in order to request covenants with the Astrals - and ensuring the Ring of Lucii was delivered to its rightful King. But the harder you fought for the future, the more the past came back to haunt you as well.Would you dare risk it all for a future which threatened everything you hold dear?tl;dr: Final Fantasy XV adventures, but you were going with Luna before eventually meeting up with the chocobros.





	1. The Landing

**Author's Note:**

> This fic continues directly where [The Last Glaive](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20321962) ends.
> 
> Tags and rating may change as the work progresses.
> 
> I am still quite new to tagging things in my work, so if you noticed any tag that I missed or if I used any tag wrongly - please let me know in the comment! Alternatively, you can also reach me via my [Tumblr](https://rolerei.tumblr.com).

By the time you and Lady Lunafreya got on a boat, dawn was starting to break on the horizon. It took a few hours until the boat reached the shore. For the entire journey, everyone on the boat was quiet - especially on several occasions where a Niflheim airship could be seen in a distance. If anyone on that ship spotted the boat, that would be it for everyone on board. To call the helplessness unnerving was a major understatement.

When you finally reached the northern shores of Leide region, you didn't think of how hot the midday sun was blazing on the rough sand. Or how unforgiving the landscape seemed, scattered sparsely by green vegetation. You - and perhaps everyone else on the boat - could only think about how grateful you were to be able to survive. To be able to walk again on land instead of being fodder for the fish.

You helped Lady Lunafreya out of the boat, and while walking further inland, you noticed quickly how her high heels were always sinking into the soft sand. "We're gonna have to replace that," you remarked.

The Oracle just nodded quietly in agreement. Beads of sweat were forming on her forehead, which was partly covered by your Glaive-issued hooded jacket. Regardless, she persevered and never once complained or took off the hood.

Your first priority then was to find shade, and you found a little bit of it by a large dead tree log hunkering by the edge of the sandy part of the coast. From its smooth, bleached surface, you figured that it must have been washed up here by a big storm. Maybe the storm had happened somewhere else, uprooting the big, strong tree from where it stood and carried it away to a far away place. Maybe the tree had come here all the way from Galahd.

_Just like _him, you couldn't help but think. Uprooted and stranded in a strange land. And somehow, someway, your path led you to his. Even for just a brief intersection.

Shaking the stray thought away, you sat down on the plush sand and began rummaging into the rucksack. There was one bottle of 2L mineral water in there, which you handed over to Lady Lunafreya. She accepted the bottle gratefully and settled down next to you. The hood of her (your) jacket pulled down as she gulped down the content.

In the meantime, you paid attention to your surrounding around the beach. The people that had boarded with you on the boat had seemingly spread around the beach, probably heading to different places in Lucis where they had relatives or friends that could give them shelter. Many of them were holding up their phone by their ear, perhaps trying to get into contact with those relatives or friends. Or maybe with those that they had been separated from back in Insomnia, checking if they were still alive.

You turned your attention back to Lady Lunafreya as she handed the water bottle back to you. You thanked her, drank a couple of gulps, then closed the bottle and stuffed it back into the rucksack. Experience from the frontline told you that water was the most precious, resourceful thing you could get your hands on - so you knew not to consume too much.

The next thing you did was check out the navigation app - which you immediately discovered to be out of service. Of course, you thought with a disappointed sigh. Do you really, honestly think that all of the most advanced technologies invented in Lucis are always available outside of Insomnia?

You rummaged again in the rucksack in search of a map. You did find one, and thanked the Astrals endlessly for the discovery. Opening the map on the sand, your finger trailed along the road by the northern coast of Leide before stopping at one prairie outpost near Keycatrich.

"Hunters use this outpost, so we're likely to get some supply there. We should be able to reach it by following the coast," you explained out loud before folding up the map and standing up. Then you offered your hand to Lady Lunafreya, who took it and stood up on her feet after a brief moment of pause.

"Are you alright, Your Highness?" you asked, and watched as she nodded in reply.

"I am fine, Leonis." Then, after a moment's pause, she added, "May I suggest you call me Luna?"

Upon seeing your confused reaction, she continued, "It's a nickname often used by close friends and family. Might make our identity even more concealed from the Empire, don't you think?"

You realized that she got a point. "Alright, then… uh, Luna." The nickname felt weird on your tongue, like you were back in elementary school and trying out curse words for the first time. "Are you ready to walk?"

Luna nodded, smiling. "Lead the way, my brave chaperone."

* * *

It was not a walk in the park, but it was not so bad by all means. The sun was blazing hot, but at the very least it ensured that no daemon would manifest on the road. What you were mostly wary of were the dropships that regularly went in and out of the area - with Insomnia conquered, there must be a need for supply from other bases to keep up with maintaining the blockade. Or provide assistance in subjugating high profile targets - like the Oracle of Eos.

Usually, when such dropship was sighted, you asked Luna to put up her (your) jacket's hood and follow you hiding behind a nearby jutting rock or bushes. That worked well the first time around, and again for the second time. By the third time, the dropship that you spotted suddenly stopped and hovered still in the air. Sensing trouble, you readied your salvaged Niffs gun and asked the Oracle to stay behind before approaching the potential spot of confrontation.

"If anything goes wrong, you _ must _ run. Alright, Your High- Luna?" you said, but received no answer from her end. You wanted to turn around to find out what was wrong - but at the same time, you couldn't afford not paying attention to the Niffs even for one second.

A couple of hundred meters away, the dropship lowered with a low hum, then opened up its massive front. You counted four MTs jumped down before the ship ascended again and left. As soon as you confirmed that they were coming towards your direction, you propped up your gun and fired a few rounds while walking forward to meet them.

In your entire time serving as a Glaive, you knew that your aim was not good. And it showed, as you were mostly busy dodging the incoming bullets than firing one that hit any of the MTs in any critical way. The hot, bright sun wasn't giving you any favor, either, bending the scenery with transparent waves that further clouded your vision. It made you think of how much you took for granted the ability to cast elemental magic in the past. Even if your aim was horrible, usually you could still will where a spell should strike. But guns - they were usualy much less forgiving.

In the end, you did get close enough to the MTs for an actual, fist-to-fist confrontation. So you tackled down one that was the closest to your position and shot it point-blank range on its humanoid face. Then you shot at a second one that stood nearby, felling it eventually after a few rounds. You turned quickly to train your muzzle on the third MT, only to see that it had aimed its own gun at your direction.

You were sitting duck - half literally and figuratively. Then, suddenly, something struck hard at the MT's head from its back. It got distracted enough that you managed to regain your footing and shot rounds at it until it actually keeled over. Standing behind the fallen robotic soldier was Luna, holding what seemed to be a long, bleached-smooth tree branch in her hands.

Your surprise was superseded by awe upon realizing that the Oracle wasn't just randomly holding the branch like a haphazard weapon. There was a form in the way she stood, though it was mostly restricted by her tight-fitting dress and high-heeled shoes. And when the fourth MT charged forward to apprehend her, she swung her makeshift staff on the enemy with such precision and technique that must have come from proper training. It took you a couple of seconds to finally snap out of your surprise and shoot down the final MT.

After the fight was over, you went up to your feet and began searching the non-functional MTs for spare bullet clips. When that was done and everything except the gun was stored securely in your rucksack, you turned to Luna.

"The dropship might come back at any moment. We have to keep moving," you advised, to which the Oracle nodded.

"Indeed. Let us find shelter as soon as possible."

* * *

"I didn't know that you knew how to fight with a staff," you remarked after having walked further and signs of a dropship showing up seemed minimal.

Luna let out a soft chuckle. "To claim that I am able to fight with it is an overstatement."

Since the encounter with the MT, she had been using the staff as some sort of aid for walking. It seemed to help her navigate the sandy and uneven terrain with the kind of shoes that she was wearing. She resumed with, "But I did receive lessons on how to use a spear properly. It's part of the rite into becoming an Oracle."

You hummed at the explanation. "I thought the trident that the Oracle carries was mostly just ceremonial."

"Well, there is some truth to it," she confirmed. "But it also does assist in channelling our powers to commune with the gods. So we are still required to know how to wield it properly."

You hummed again, not really expecting to learn a new knowledge after everything that you had gone through. With your curiosity piqued, you resumed your questioning with, "The real Trident is kept in Accordo, right? Why is that the case?"

"To keep some powers away from the Oracle, I suppose," she replied while throwing you a meaningful smile. "And I suppose the Empire does not condone an Imperial subject publicly carrying around one of Lucian royal arms."

You raised an eyebrow at Luna. "The Trident of the Oracle actually belonged to Lucis?"

"Yes! One of Lucian kings was also an Oracle."

"Huh. I didn't know that."

"It is a little-known fact," agreed Luna. "And it is a very unusual one. I cannot begin to fathom how one human can shoulder such big responsibilities..."

"Or maybe it simplified things: only one person to rely on... 'to save us all from the Starscourge that ails us all,'" you joked, all the while mentioning one the few phrases that you could remember from the Cosmogony of Eos - which you were required to read a long time ago in your childhood.

Luna let out a soft chuckle. "I suppose that is also a possibility."

After several moments spent quietly walking, you mused out loud, "I guess with the wars with Niflheim, the last several kings haven't really been fighting the Scourge all that much, huh?"

Luna didn't immediately give you an answer. Although, her silence could also be caused by the heat, too. Your own back was completely drenched with sweat under the rucksack, and you could imagine similar discomfort was also being experienced by Luna who had to wear your Glaive jacket in this climate.

"I am sure that Noctis will make a fine king and help us rid of the Scourge," she stated eventually. There was a subtle, but strong conviction in her voice that made you hesitate to talk back. So you looked up ahead, trying to spot a haven before the sunset could invite the daemons out. Unlike MTs, those enemies would probably not be so easily dealt with a staff made of a tree branch.

* * *

You were fortunate enough to find a haven to camp on just as the sun was setting. As you set up the tent, you noticed the Oracle took off her heels and sat down on the sandy ground to stretch her legs. Having worn similar shoes at the gala party celebrating the fake treaty signing, you couldn't help but feel sympathetic. Especially with the kind of terrain and distance that you had gone through together.

Once the tent was set up, you sat down next to Luna and offered her what was remaining in the only bottle of water that you had. The temperature had gone down considerably - a perk of Leide's desert climate - so the sand was becoming more comfortable to sit on as you watched the sky turn pink and orange. Somewhere in the bushes, a cricket also began singing.

Life in the desert really starts at night, you couldn't help but muse. Inadvertently, it reminded you of a late-night stroll with Nyx in one of the nightlife districts of Insomnia. The memory stung somewhere deep inside your ribcage and made you feel warm behind your eyes. So you looked down and sighed and pinched at the bridge of your nose in between your eyes.

"... Are you worried about your mother?"

You looked aside and found that the Oracle's big blue eyes were trained solely at you. Curious and sympathetic. You cleared your throat before lying, "Yes, as a matter of fact, I am."

"I'm sorry to hear that," she said. "Do you have a close relationship with your mother?"

That was a bit of a direct turn to steer the conversation to. But seeing that you had been instrumental in making the Oracle walk the whole day in those horrible shoes, you decided to humor her.

"Not really, to be honest. We didn't really talk much the past few years," you told her. "She never really approves of me being in Kingsglaive."

"Ah. That must have been difficult," she remarked. "I suppose the Marshal feels differently about it?"

You thought of your uncle's proud smile when he recruited you to find the spy network inside Kingsglaive. You failed that mission, and Insomnia was destroyed. It added to the ache already forming in your heart, and you realized something had to be done before you broke down in front of none other than the Oracle of Eos.

"I guess so," you said, slightly surprised that your voice was not already quivering. "How about you? How's your relationship with your brother?"

This brought some shadow to her clear ocean-blue eyes. You definitely had treaded on a sensitive topic.

"Ravus has good intentions." As she spoke, you noticed Luna's hand went to clutch at the moon-and-star pendant hanging from her fine silver necklace. "But he can be quite lost in his way sometimes."

You hummed. "Getting lost just sometimes can get you a Deputy High Commander position in Niflheim military, huh?"

Those pools of blue were back on you in an instant. "I do not expect you to understand," she said. "What my brother did to King Regis is horrendous. But I have known him since I was born. He never wished badly upon the world - it is the Empire that made him..."

"Alright, alright. Point taken," you said, suddenly feeling tired. Getting your second royal scolding within 24 hours after the first one wasn't exactly what you had expected when you woke up yesterday morning.

Then again, you hadn't expected camping in the Leiden desert under the stars with the Oracle, either. Or becoming a refugee. You let out a deep sigh.

The silence that stretched afterwards was mostly filled in by the crickets before you finally said, "There's a sleeping bag inside the tent. You can use it if you want - nights in the desert can get quite cold."

"But what about you?" was Luna's immediate reply, to which you extended your hand and turned to look at her direction. "... Oh."

Quietly and carefully, Luna took off your uniform's jacket and placed it in your outstretched hand. Then she made her way towards the tent. You could feel her eyes lingering on you before she truly disappeared inside the tent.

You put on your Glaive jacket slowly, finding comfort in the familiar weight of the fabric on your body. It didn't provide you with as much warmth as you thought it would, though. Jackets assigned to mages, unfortunately, came with shorter cuts - perhaps because of the belief that you could simply rely on magic to warm yourselves. Maybe cast a little flame in your hands or something. Obviously, the designer didn't take into consideration the possibility of King Regis' death - and the loss of magic in the entire Kingsglaive that came with it.

The next thing that you did was pulling out your phone from a pocket in your jacket. You immediately went to your inbox and called the last number that had sent you a text. There was barely a dial tone before you heard a familiar voice on the other end saying,

"Hey, it's Nyx Ulric. Hero of the Glaives. Probably too busy saving your ass to pick up your call, so leave a message."

You found yourself grinning upon hearing the voicemail message, and for a fraction of a moment, you did feel warmth blooming from somewhere deep inside your chest. A little magic of your own. When the beeping noise resounded, you ended the call and called the same number again.

"Hey, it's Nyx Ulric. Hero of the Glaives. Proba-"

The message was cut short. You put the phone in front of your face and saw that it was off - the battery was empty.

It took you a moment to finally gather yourself and return your phone back into your pocket. The device's weight hung heavy in your jacket, although it was hardly the only additional burden that you felt in your chest area. Sitting back against a jutting rock, you wrapped your arms around your torso to stave off the cold. With the sun completely gone, the desert temperature had dropped drastically low. Nevertheless, you stayed outside for another couple of hours to keep watch for a stray MT or dropship, before exhaustion led you to shuffle into the tent as quietly as you possibly could.


	2. The Prairie Outpost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and the Oracle managed to traverse the expanse of Leiden desert and reached the hunter's outpost safely. Upon arrival, the three Messengers - Gentiana, Pryna, and Umbra - appeared before you and Luna to reveal a role that you were ordained to take.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just giving a heads up that the character tags got updated with this chapter since all three Messengers were introduced, as well as Cor. I have also added Canon-Typical Violence tag and changed Pining to Grief/Mourning and Coping.
> 
> Another thing to note is that I have started working fulltime this week, so this fic will probably be updated less often than The Last Glaive. However, I will still aim to post at least a new chapter each week. Thank you in advance for your understanding!

You woke up the next morning with your stomach growling from hunger. It was almost 24 hours since you last had proper food, and with the water running low, it made reaching the prairie outpost an even more urgent task to achieve.

Luna woke up not long after you. Her blue eyes were half-covered with sleep when she groggily greeted you good morning. You replied the greeting before crawling out of the tent to let her get ready. The cool breeze of the morning hit your face immediately, causing you to wake up even more. The sun was still hanging low above the eastern horizon. In the west, you could see the tails of the meteor from the Disc of Cauthess shimmered in the soft sunlight.

Leide in the morning is quite scenic, you had to admit. And although you wanted to admire the scenery a little bit more, your attention was quickly attracted to a bush nearby that had large red fruits hanging from it. You went to inspect it - and the fruits turned out to be tomatoes.

Taking out your curved dagger, you cut at a few tomatoes to keep inside the pockets of your uniform. Then you cut another fruit from the plant before taking a slice to bite into. The tomato was juicy and watery and sweet. After all the ordeal that you had gone through, it tasted like the best tomato you had ever eaten in your life.

When Luna finally appeared from inside the tent, you gestured for her to come closer. She walked over with bare feet on the sandy ground, her blue eyes widened when she saw what it was you were offering on your outstretched hand.

"Wild Lucian tomatoes. How delightful," she commented before taking a slice of tomato into her mouth. She let out a hum of approval shortly afterwards.

"Nice, huh?" you asked, amused at her reaction.

"Very much so. I dare say it tastes better here than when it was served on a dinner in Caelum Via."

"Hunger is the best spice, as people say..."

That invited her chuckle. "Indeed, I must agree."

You both lingered around the bush for a while, having a breakfast of wild tomatoes. Once you and Luna had enough, you returned back to the camp to take down the tent and drink some gulps of water - with you letting Luna have more. Before the sun reached its peak, the two of you already departed the haven.

The journey was more or less similar to the one leading up to the haven - if not slightly less eventful. You managed to dodge a couple of dropships patrolling the area, so there was no need to fight any MT. At one point, you also spotted a single Anak Stag grazing on a relatively grassy field. Luna was especially entranced by the animal, and you found yourself wishing that your phone still had some battery left to snap a picture for her.

By afternoon, you finally reached the prairie outpost. The first thing that you did was checking into one of the caravans there that were rented out to visitors. After entering your assigned caravan, you dropped down the rucksack at once - the surge of relief that you felt on your back and shoulders was immediate and delicious. Luna closed the door behind you and sighed with similar satisfaction as she pulled down her (your) Glaive jacket's hood.

"I'm going to check out the shops, see what kind of supplies we can get," you told Luna. Then your eyes trailed down to her discarded shoes. "... Right. Before I forget, what's your shoe size?"

Luna told you, and you went out to explore more of the outpost. A few hunters passed you by, a couple of them acknowledged you with a nod or a tilt of a hat. No one that you passed looked at you with any curiosity or suspicion - at least as far as you knew. Perhaps it helped that, without the jacket, the Glaive attire could almost pass as a hunter's.

You came across a shop called Culless Munitions and bought off a pair of boots for Luna, as well as a few clothing articles for both of you to change into. You thought of buying some bullet clips as well, but refrained from doing so after seeing the price. On the way back to the caravan, you stopped by a red van that sold fresh goods to buy luncheon meat, rice, and a few cups of instant noodles.

One last thing you had to buy was phone charger, because yours was obviously left behind in Insomnia. Upon paying, you figured out that the balance on your debit card was running quite low. You sighed, recalling the luxurious sushi dinner that you had treated yourself and Nyx mere days ago. One salmon nigiri could have bought you more than a dozen cup noodles.

Nevertheless, you headed back to the caravan with all your groceries. Once you got inside, you felt your heart jump inside your ribcage upon seeing a strange woman with long black hair standing in the middle of the room. Her intricate robe struck you as something that did not come from this area.

Your immediate reaction was to pull out your dagger. Before you could get the weapon out of its sheath, however, Luna called out to you. "Please do not be alarmed, Leonis. This is Gentiana, a Messenger of the Six."

Upon turning your attention to Luna, you noticed that there were also two fluffy dogs sitting by her feet. One of them was pure white while the other was mostly black. She gestured towards them. "And these are Pryna and Umbra. They are Messengers as well."

"... Right," you reacted, pushing your dagger back into its sheath. You recalled reading or hearing about the Messengers before: that they were spirits who assist the Oracle in spreading the message from the six gods of Eos. Nevertheless, you still looked suspiciously at Gentiana while carefully placing your groceries on the floor.

A small smile was formed on the Messenger's lips. "With an alert warrior such as yourself as her guardian, the safety of the Oracle is certainly assured," said Gentiana before bowing her head politely. "Excuse us for causing you any fright."

"Don't worry about it. I'm just… not too used with all this Astral stuff, I suppose." You tried, and immediately failed miserably at waving things off casually. Something about Gentiana unnerved you somehow. Maybe it had to do with how she kept her eyes closed the entire time she was talking.

Once she stood upright again, Gentiana turned her attention back to Luna. "And what of the Ring of Lucii?"

Luna's expression was serious when she turned and nodded at you. You took that as a cue to reach to your Glaive uniform's jacket and picked out the ring from inside one of the latched pockets. When you presented that to Gentiana, her closed eyes opened up - which did startle you a bit - before she nodded.

"The Kings of Yore have entrusted the ring to you. Very well," she said before training her dark eyes on yours. "You are no longer a Sword, but a Shield that protects the light of the Oracle. You are also a Bearer of the Ring who safekeeps it for the Chosen King - so that we may have a chance against the darkness that is to come."

"Er, sure."

You didn't understand completely what Gentiana was saying. Nevertheless, you stuffed the ring back into your uniform's pocket and nodded. Gentiana then turned her attention back to Luna.

"The time for covenant draws near," she told Luna. "Ensure that you commune with the Archean within a fortnight. He shall be waiting in the earth where Calamity once struck from the sky."

This time, you barely understood anything that was being said. On the other hand, Luna looked determined when she nodded. "I will be there."

"Then the Message from the gods has been delivered and understood."

Gentiana smiled to both you and Luna, and within a blink of an eye, she was gone without a trace.

You looked deadpan at Luna. "Is this going to happen often?"

"Only when the gods have something very urgent to say," she explained. "Most of the time their revelations come to me in a dream."

"That sounds way more convenient," you muttered.

"I suppose it does, but I… haven't actually been able to decipher the dreams very well lately."

Luna sounded distracted as she kneeled and ruffled between the ears of both Pryna and Umbra. "Or maybe I have. But my fears might have prevented me from truly accepting it."

You wanted to ask what she meant, but after seeing Luna's eyes looking downcast and somber, you held back your words. Turning your attention away, you busied yourself with finding a power outlet to charge your phone and stashing away the foods that you just bought. When you returned again to Luna, you noticed that she was writing in a red notebook.

"Noctis and I have been corresponding this way since we were children," explained Luna before you were even asking. "Umbra usually delivers it between us. He and Pryna are able to travel through space and time."

"Is that so?"

You remembered how Luna had shown little knowledge in how modern phone works, indicating limited access to technology that Niflheim Empire must have imposed on her. It was nice to know that she found a way to circumvent it and still could communicate with the Prince all these years.

Well, technically he's the King now. You corrected yourself mentally before showing Luna the shoes and clothes that you had gotten her.

"Try this on," you said, not forgetting to include a brown cap. "They should make a better disguise than my jacket."

Luna accepted everything that you gave her with a glint of gratitude in her sky-blue eyes. "Thank you very much, Leonis. I owe you my life."

"You're welcome," you stopped just before your mouth could say 'Your Highness'. "You can take a shower, too, if you want. I will go check out the haven, see if we can use the fireplace to cook the food."

"Very well. I shall find you there."

Turning her attention away from you, Luna slipped the red notebook into a satchel that was wounded around Umbra's torso and gave him one last scritch between his ears. The Messenger barked excitedly, then bounded for the exit of the caravan. The dog's figure vanished from your sight before it even touched the door.

* * *

When Luna joined you by the fireplace, the sun was beginning to set. Your pot was set aside the crackling fire, full with cooked rice. Some of the rice was on your plate, topped with some luncheon meat and fresh tomatoes. You were talking with a hunter that had settled down there earlier than you - and who had lent you the plate and cutlery - about what he thought of the siege on Insomnia.

"Somethin' similar happened around here years ago, y'know. Keycatrich used to be quite a wealthy area. Many merchants lived here while runnin' their businesses up in Galdin Quay," he explained. "But then the war changed course for the worse, and the Wall was pulled back to Insomnia. The Empire invaded Keycatrich and many refugees ended up stayin' in this outpost.

"But that didn't last. People went away eventually, either to Insomnia or to Accordo or wherever. Nowadays the refugees are all gone, and this place got repurposed into a post by the hunters."

You hummed, feeling inevitably intrigued by the man's tale. "Do you think more of these posts will show up east of Leide now with all the refugees from Insomnia?"

"Could very well be. Though with the size of Insomnia, they might as well be buildin' a new town and not just an outpost."

"I see."

Your attention moved away from the hunter when you saw Pryna padding close. Not far behind her was Luna, dressed up in t-shirt, khaki pants, hiking boots, and a cap that you had given her. Her blonde hair was let loose and fell down past her shoulders.

You looked warily at the hunter. Whether the disguise was effective enough or not would be tested for the first time by his reaction.

However, the hunter showed no signs of recognizing the Oracle. Though his smile was still kind and warm when he offered, "Welcome, ma'am. Feel free to join us by the fire."

"Thank you. That is actually my travelling companion you have been conversing with," replied Luna while smiling in kind and taking a seat on the ground next to you. You offered her another serving of rice, luncheon meat, and tomato, which she accepted with gratitude. As you and Luna began eating, Pryna settled up next to her hip and laid down while watching the fire.

"Ah. Don't see much of only women travellin' around these days," the hunter remarked. "Where are y'all heading?"

"Duscae," answered Luna without missing a beat. "We're thinking of visiting the Disc of Cauthess before heading up to Lestallum, where our aunts live."

You stared at Luna. Aside from being impressed by her lie, you also couldn't help but notice that she had decided on your travel itinerary without even discussing it with you first. Regardless, you decided to be quiet and continued on eating your food - for now.

"Ah, the Disc of Cauthess is a magnificent sight, alright. Might wanna be careful with the 'Titan's snore', though."

"Oh? I thought there haven't been many earthquakes lately in the region?" you joined in the conversation eventually.

"No, but it started again yesterday, apparently," said the hunter. "Maybe the Astral got angry because the Oracle is dead, killed in a war of humans, no less."

Both you and Luna exchanged looks.

"The Oracle is dead?" you repeated dumbly and watched the eyebrows of the hunter raised. "How?"

"Haven't you heard? It's all over the radio," he said. "Prince Noctis and Lady Lunafreya are among the many who died when Insomnia was attacked by the Empire during the peace treaty signing."

So that's why he didn't recognize Luna as the Oracle, you thought. "Yeah, we haven't really been up-to-date with the news lately… not since our car was stolen at a gas station."

"Aw, that's unlucky," the hunter commented. "How're you gonna get to Lestallum, then? Are you gonna rent chocobos?"

"Possibly," said Luna - yet again making decisions on her own. "Are you informed of how much does it cost?"

"Should be somethin' like 50 gil a day or so. So if you wanna stop by Disc of Cauthess on the way, that'll probably cost you about 150 gil per person."

"I see. Thank you very much for your information."

"Why, thank you for askin' the question, ma'am."

The three of you talked more while having dinner by the fire before the hunter left, saying he had somewhere else to be. Once he was out of earshot, you put your mostly empty plate down and fixed your attention fully on the Oracle.

"Look, Luna. If you have any idea where we have to go next, could you please at least discuss it with me first before telling it to a stranger?"

Luna blinked her doe-blue eyes at you. "But I thought you were already aware that we were heading to the Disc of Cauthess. Gentiana explained it all back in the caravan."

"Ah. So that's what she meant with 'in the earth where Calamity once struck from the sky'..."

You felt kind of stupid now. Regardless, you continued, "Well another thing is that… I have barely more than 150 gil left in my debit card. And it's technically in yen, so who knows how much the value's gonna drop now since Insomnia is basically gone."

"I see. So I don't suppose we can rent something to go there," muttered Luna. "But that is not a problem, right? We can also walk."

"Er, yeah. I guess technically we can," you said hesitantly.

"So why don't we?"

"Because I don't want to run into a pack of coeurls and become their family dinner for the night."

"Oh."

It was an exaggeration, but Luna seemed to know enough of the risk to stop pursuing the option further. Or so you hoped.

"Well, we can look at what options we have tomorrow," you sighed. "Maybe my uncle can also help give some ideas."

Luna nodded somberly. "I suppose we can use any help that we can get."

You licked at your lips and fiddled a bit with the cutlery, trying to think. "The worst possible case that I can think of is that we stay here for a couple more days and I can do some hunting. Well, I guess that's not all that bad, actually... we can get both money and more supplies that way."

Luna's ocean-blue eyes lit up when she looked up at you. Or maybe it was from the fire. "Can I go with you during the hunt?"

"What kind of question is that?" you asked back, furrowing your brows. But the Oracle's expression remained unchanged.

"I can obtain a spear. Then I shall not get in your way, I promise."

You inhaled and then exhaled patience with one puff of your breath. "Okay, fine. We can do that." Not like you would be happier if she was just sitting in the caravan where you can't keep watch on her for hours, anyway.

"Thank you so much for your understanding, Leonis," beamed Luna.

"... Yeah, sure."

* * *

Later that night, after having taken a shower yourself, you decided it was time to call your uncle. After the connecting tones ended, there was no sound from the other end - not even a hello. It caused your brows to furrow in suspicion. "Hello? Who is this?"

"Oh. It really is you." From the other end of the call, your uncle let out a grateful sigh. "Sorry. I was just being careful."

"Don't worry, Uncle. I was just as alarmed as you," you admitted after finally resuming breathing.

"Where are you now? Is the Oracle alright?"

"Yes, she's doing fine. We're in Leide now."

You weren't sure if you should tell him exactly where you were. The Empire could have gotten their hands on the communication traffic already. If your uncle was being careful enough not to immediately answer an incoming call from his own niece, then you knew not to mess around either. "How are things on your side? I heard that Prince Noctis and the Oracle are announced dead."

"That's King Noctis for you, young lady," he corrected. "Things are fine on my end. I'm on a recon mission for the royal retinue at the moment, so clearly the news is just another one of Niflheim's propaganda."

"I see. That is good to know." You felt genuine relief upon hearing the new. You were also curious about the mission that your uncle was doing but then decided to ask about it once you two could meet face to face.

"Do you know where you are heading from here on?" he asked next.

"Yes, but the logistics are a bit… tricky, to say the least." You huffed and scratched at the back of your head, which was still damp from the shower. "You don't happen to know if... my payroll is still going on schedule after the siege on Insomnia, do you?"

"... Yeah, no, probably not." Your uncle let out a sigh. "I'm afraid you have to scrape by with hunting, for now. However, if it is very urgent - you can tell me how much you need and we can arrange something."

This had gone a little bit too close to a middle school situation for your own comfort. So you told him, "... No, that's fine. I think we can get by with hunting."

"Very well. Godspeed, and update me when your situation changes."

"I will."

Just as you were about to hang up, an idea suddenly sprung up in your brain. "Oh, wait! I do have one last favor I'd like to ask from you."

From the other end of the call, you could hear your uncle's impatient huff. "What is it?"

You inhaled a puff of breath to gather your courage and then said the favor out loud over the phone.


	3. The Hunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During your hunt in Leide, Luna asked difficult questions about killing another living being, and what is and is not allowed to talk about when one is in love.
> 
> Then you went back to the outpost to collect the bounty and caught the attention of someone that reminded you of Nyx.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More tag updates: added Gladio and Emotional Baggage tag. Also changed the fic category to Multi because we are all still very hung up on Nyx.
> 
> Song suggestion (mostly for the last third of the chapter): [Le Plus Beau du Quartier](https://youtu.be/z_2dSjsRbPA) by Carla Bruni.
> 
> Because Gladio is the best looking man on the block.

You stood in front of Culless Munitions the next morning, holding the Niflheim-issued gun and the rucksack containing the tent and one day's worth of supply. Before you, Luna was busy trying out different types of spears and conversing with the shop owner for recommendations. It felt surreal - like a dream during a feverish sleep.

But you knew for sure that it was all happening. You felt the warmth of Leide's near-midday sun and your tongue still tasted salty from a quick breakfast of cup noodle - much too real to be a dream. And in less than an hour (or so you hoped), you were going on a hunt with none other than the Oracle of Eos.

"Well, at least we are going to be blessed by the presence of the Astrals' Messenger, huh?" you mused while glancing down at Pryna, who was sitting on her hind legs next to you. She only looked at you quietly. Unlike Umbra, the white spirit-dog came off to you as more reserved and serious.

"I think I have found the most fitting weapon for our excursion," announced Luna before showing off the said weapon to you. It was a javelin about 1.5 meter high, quite lightweight and easy to swing.

"Not a bad choice," you commented before handing back the weapon.

"Shall we go, then?"

"Yes!"

You almost winced at all the bright enthusiasm that the Oracle showed. As you walked out of the outpost and began the journey towards Leiden wilderness, she asked, "So what are we going to hunt today?"

"Well, according to Dave from last night, flexitusks can fetch quite a lot. All we have to do is bring back one of its claws to the tipster at the bar."

"Flexitusk? Interesting," remarked Luna. "Why are they being hunted?"

"They started destroying the habitats around here, apparently. Makes it more difficult for other hunters to catch Anaks for their meat."

Luna hummed and was looking down contemplatively to the ground when Pryna suddenly dashed ahead.

"Pryna! Wait for us!" she called out before running after the spirit-dog, leaving you no choice but to run after her, too.

The chase eventually led you to an open area surrounded by small crags. In the middle, Pryna barked loudly at another creature three times her size. Its form was similar like a dog or a wolf, but slim and grotesque with bone-like tail and protruding spine.

"That's a flexitusk!" you exclaimed with amazement. Did Pryna really understand what you were talking about?

Before you could mull over the thought, however, the creature growled and pounced at your direction. Cursing, you raised your gun defensively. However, it was too late... You braced for a bite to sink into your forearm, but then the flexitusk was suddenly staggering aside.

On a second look, you noticed a javelin was stabbed on its left side. You spared a split second to glance thankfully at Luna before opening fire at the animal. The flexitusk shrieked and struggled back, and you had to help Luna yanked out the javelin before she could get dragged along.

Upon retreating, the flexitusk dashed up one of the walls and used the hard rock as support to pounce back. You took a step between Luna and the creature and emptied the last rounds of your clip into its open jaws. The animal fell before it could reach your position, howling in pain as it laid on its side on the sandy ground.

Without much thinking, you grabbed Luna's javelin and stabbed it clean through the flexitusk's head. The animal let out a loud, pained scream that was echoed by the crags around you before life slipped out from both of its eyes.

With heaving breaths, you pulled out the spear before handing it back to Luna, who was staring motionlessly at the dead animal. Her blank expression triggered you to call out to her, "Hey. You alright?"

She looked up, startled. Ocean-blue eyes locked immediately with yours. "Yes, I am fine," she said while accepting the javelin with both hands. "So… I suppose we should extract the claw now...?"

"I can take care of it," you assured her. "You can wait outside with Pryna."

"Alright." Her tone was half grateful, half disappointed. You watched her leaving with Pryna padding close to her legs for a while. Even with the khaki and cap, there was still a certain grace in the way she walked. A telltale sign of someone groomed since childhood to become a princess.

* * *

Later on, at a haven after setting up the tent, you sat by the fire with Luna brushing shoulders with yours. You had left your jacket back in the caravan, hanging to dry with the rest of the laundry, so the fire was mostly there for the warmth. Although you also used it to boil water for the cup noodle dinner earlier.

Staring into the fire allowed you to reminisce about the events that happened during the day. You managed to find and kill three flexitusks - the first part was mostly thanks to Pryna. In all cases, Luna was quick to anticipate the attacks of the animals. However, the moment the finishing blow had to be struck, she froze every single time.

It occurred to you that it mustn't be easy being used to heal people and then having to kill for money. Looking aside, you were able to glimpse the Oracle's face illuminated by the fire. Her expression looked somber.

"Everything alright, Highness?"

The playful use of the title seemed to cheer her up a bit. With a smile, she reached out to caress absently at Pryna's back, who was curled up sleeping by her feet. You couldn't help but wonder if a Messenger actually needed sleep.

"I'm doing better than I had expected. Thank you for asking, Leonis."

She hesitated for a bit, but eventually blurted out, "Does it actually get easier the more you do it? The killing, I mean."

You looked back to the fire, trying to find a good way to answer her question.

"Well, yes and no. It really depends on the situation," you eventually said. "On the frontline, when you really feel like your life is in danger and you can die at any moment - usually it's much easier."

"I see." Her wide blue eyes were fixated on you. "You must have lost many colleagues on the frontline over the years."

Your thought inevitably went to the Glaives that you did know and lose over the years, including Pelna and Nyx. Even Luche. You nodded to affirm her statement, just because you felt your throat had suddenly constricted and couldn't really make much noise.

"And Nyx Ulric… after he put on the Ring of Lucii…," she continued, carefully. You felt the pressure in your throat increase. "One of the first things that he did was... kissing you. And you kissed him back."

"That is what happened, yes," you said out loud after a moment, feeling glad that your voice didn't come out as a croak.

"Were you in love with him?"

You let out a long, heavy huff. Memories of Nyx's flirty smile in the military van going back to Insomnia, the grin that he wore when he was being a smartass, the comforting smell of his naked skin, touches of his calloused fingers on your skin, the texture of his braids between your fingers when you kissed, the longing in his voice when he asked you to be his girlfriend - all of them came back with a sudden, strong force that spawned pressure in the hollows of your chest.

"I… don't actually know," you admitted, pausing briefly to take much needed deep breaths. "We only started seeing each other around a week ago."

You thought of adding that you were only officially dating for a little more than a day, but in the end decided not to. There was no need to make this conversation more complicated.

"And that is not enough time to make you love him?"

"Well, it's... usually quite awkward if you tell someone that you're only seeing for a few days that you love them," you patiently explained. "You want to take things slow."

"I see."

Luna looked down at the twigs and branches where the fire was licking from. Her slim arms were hugging herself.

"But… what if you don't have time to take things slowly?" she said next. "Are you still not allowed to say or feel the love for that person? Even if he never got to know about it?"

You stared at Luna quietly. Slowly but surely, you put two-and-two together and realized that it wasn't only your relationship problem that she was talking about anymore.

Looking up to the stars above, you let out a sigh.

"Does it really matter, though?" you muttered to no one in particular. "Regardless of how long or short, or whatever you said or felt, the time that you've spent with that person is still precious, right? Why tarnish it with regret when you can focus on cherishing the memories that you made together?"

Luna didn't give an answer to any of your questions, and you also didn't require one either. At one point, she also followed after you in staring up at the sky. Both of your eyes were directed up, for a while, staring at the stars while your thoughts were floating and swimming in the past.

* * *

When you arrived at the prairie post the next day, Luna asked if she could stay back in the caravan to rest while you went off to the tipster to collect the bounty. You told her that it was okay, but she should expect you to return a bit late because you'd be checking out chocobo rental as well. Much to your surprise, Pryna didn't stay back with Luna. Instead, she padded close to your legs as you made your way towards the only bar in the outpost.

"Don't Messengers have other duties for the Astrals than following a hunter running errands?" you joked, which was replied with a look from Pryna that seemed to remind you that she did work on the hunt, too. That made you chuckle.

"Yeah, we probably won't get so much bounty without your help. Thanks, Pryna."

Pryna barked, and you thought you saw a little glint of pride in her eyes. You smiled wider and paused to run your fingers down the smooth, snow-white coat of her back before entering the bar.

You found the tipster in no time, having been told of his relevant physical traits by Dave ("Look for the one with teeth and moustache."). After examining the claws of the flexitusk that you handed to him, he asked you to wait while he retrieved the money somewhere outside. So you went ahead to the bar table, feeling the urge to taste some beer.

Midway through the bar, however, Pryna suddenly dashed away. Slightly alarmed, you made a turn and followed where she was going. She ended up stopping by a table occupied by one dark haired man, who immediately noticed Pryna's presence and closed the book he was reading to give her a scratch between her ears.

"Nice dog you have here," he remarked. His voice was baritone - low and broad and reverberating from deep inside his chest. And the said chest just happened to be partially exposed from his unbuttoned black shirt, revealing the sculpted muscles and just a hint of tattoo.

"... Yeah? Well, thanks." You raised your eyes quickly to meet his, but it was too late. His snicker told you that he had already noticed you checking him out.

"So are you a hunter around this part?" he asked. You noticed the long scar that went down his left eye before nodding.

"Yup. Just waiting here to collect my bounty."

"Nice. Gotta say I respect ladies that work hard to earn her keep."

He smiled then, and something in the glint of his eyes and the smoothness of his voice made your heart skip a beat. "Do you mind if I buy you a drink while you wait?"

"Hmm…"

You tilted your head while considering your options. You did want to order beer in the first place, and it's not like you could leave before the bounty arrived. At the same time, you weren't sure if it was wise to get intoxicated in front of a man you hardly know, considering you were still technically on duty. You didn't want to chance your tongue slipping.

In the end, though, you decided one bottle of beer wouldn't be so bad. So you shrugged, replying with a nonchalant, "Sure. Why not?" and took a vacant chair by his table. Shortly after, Pryna settled down close to your leg, her head resting on her outstretched front legs.

"Great," he said, before waving to get the attention of the only waitress in the bar. She took both of your orders and left to the back, leaving you exchanging a courteous smile with the man sitting across the table from you.

Something in his rough appearance reminded you of Nyx. However, his behavior and manner of speaking gave you a different vibe entirely. He was confident, that's for sure, but not in the playful, sarcastic, I'm-the-hero sort of type that Nyx exuded. Instead, there was something gentle and respectful in the way he conveyed himself.

A gentleman hunter.

You couldn't help but imagine that he had been raised in Keycatrich, back when it was still a wealthy area. A son of a trading baron that left a trail of heartbreaks everywhere he went.

"So how should I best call you?" the man's deep voice called you back from your little fantasy. "I don't really mind calling you 'ma'am' for the rest of the afternoon, but I think that can get old pretty quickly."

You laughed, then replied with, "You can call me Leone."

You weren't exactly feeling like giving your first name to him. At the same time, you also didn't want to risk him knowing your relation with your uncle, either.

"And you?"

"The name's Gladd." He folded his arms in front of his chest, and you couldn't not notice that the same tattoo that you had glimpsed on his chest actually went all the way to his triceps. From the little glimpses that you could see, it seemed to be an eagle tattoo.

"Leone, huh? That's a pretty cool name."

"Thanks. I'll pass the compliment up to my dad."

He chuckled. Just shortly after, your bottles of beer arrived. He picked up one and clinked it with yours.

"To dads who give badass names."

"Cheers to that," you replied, feeling genuinely amused. The gulps of beer that you took afterwards were refreshing after walking half the day under Leide's desert sun.

"So what brought you to Keycatrich?"

"Well, I was out hunting with a few friends and got separated from them after encountering a couple of behemoths," he replied before showing you a big bruise that he had along the side of his torso. "Got that, too, as a reminder of the encounter."

You winced at the sight. "Damn. That looks like it'll heal in a while."

He shrugged. "It'll be fine. But yeah, thought I could hang out here for a bit before meeting up with them."

His amber eyes were fixed on you, and your heartbeat quickened slightly. Gladd is a beautiful man, for sure. And young, too. The way he showed off his bruises and scars and then waving them off as something small felt to you like something Nyx would do if he were 10 years younger.

"And how about you?" he asked. "Are you originally from around here?"

"Oh, yeah," you paused to take another big gulp of your beer. "Here and there, you know."

"Right. Hunters do travel around a lot, huh?"

"Right. That's what we do. Go where the bounties are."

"Sounds tough... but you look like you're doing quite well for yourself."

"Thanks."

You smiled, feeling genuinely grateful that Gladd didn't prod further. As young as he may be, you had to admit that the man was a real gentleman.

A clink of the bell by the entrance door diverted your attention. It was actually the tipster.

"Ah, here comes my bounty," you said before moving to stand. "Thanks again for the beer. Hope you catch up to your friends quickly."

"My pleasure," he replied, smiling. "Will I see you around the post today or tomorrow?"

You shrugged. "Maybe. Today, tomorrow - or in 10 years."

If you had some more 'feminine wiles' in you, you probably would've winked. But you didn't - so you just turned around and walked up to the tipster, received your bounty (1,500 gil for all three claws), and left. Pryna padded along next to you, her eyes looking at you inquisitively.

"What?" you asked her. "It's not like I can bring him back to the caravan for the night or something."

The spirit-dog averted her attention forward with a gesture that felt to you like a shrug. Then she dashed ahead of you towards the door of the caravan that you and Luna were staying in. Her form disappeared before it reached the door in a warp.

You sighed, then - recalling that you still had to arrange the chocobos rental - quickly turned on your heel and headed towards the direction of the stables.


	4. The Graces of the Founder King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the way to visit the Archaean, you learned the real reason why Luna took all the trouble to commune with the Astrals.
> 
> Then she helped you regain your magic back - but it was not without a price.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tag update: added Slow Burn. Because Nyx was just too damn fine to move on so quickly from.
> 
> Also, sorry if the directions that I mention here don't actually match the actual map of the game. I kind of have a bad sense of orientation lol...
> 
> Have any suggestions on how to fix this chapter? Or just want to gush about FFXV and Kingsglaive in particular? You can reach me on [Tumblr](https://rolerei.tumblr.com).

You and Luna decided to depart early in the morning. The air was cold and dry and you wanted so badly to stay in your bed in the caravan for another couple of hours instead of braving the morning temperature to fetch two squawking, energetic yellow birds from the stables. So to distract your brain into getting dressed and actually stepping out of the door, you ended up reciting the oath of Kingsglaive over and over - the 'for hearth and home' part always went through clattered teeth.

When you returned back to the caravan, Luna was already waiting with Pryna and your rucksack, which had grown bulkier from more supplies. The fact that the Oracle's own eyes were only half open raised a sense of comradery that helped you feel more awake before helping her climb up one of the chocobos and tying up your belongings.

"Ready?" you asked after mounting your chocobo. Your eyes glanced at Luna, who nodded, and Pryna, who stuck her tongue out with apparent excitement. Out of all three of you, the spirit-dog seemed to be the most awake one. At that point, any suspicion that the Messenger actually needing any sleep was just gone from your head.

"Let's go, then."

You directed your chocobo towards the southwest exit of the outpost and began to ride for Duscae.

* * *

You reached the Disc of Cauthess when it was nearing sunset. The glow of its meteor tails looked even more surreal up close - and you would have enjoyed the sight more if not for the Niflheim military base that stood sturdily just outside of it. The enforced steel gates told you that not many people were allowed to enter the site.

"The Empire cannot do this," commented Luna. "They're restricting access to a holy ground. People are going to demand their freedom of worship."

"Well, turns out they are capable of doing it," you replied with a shrug. "We can't expect the Niffs to suddenly change their mind and lift up the blockade, so I suppose we have to find a way to sneak in… let's camp up for now and go through our options."

"Very well. I think I spotted a haven not very far from here."

"Very good, Luna," you reacted, genuinely impressed. "You're getting used to this camping business, I see."

She threw a smile at you. "I'm learning from the best."

Once you got to the haven, Pryna was already waiting. Tongue jutting and tail wagging. "How the hell did you get… well, you know what? Nevermind."

You decided to let it go, in the end, and busied yourself with unloading and setting up the tent. As some people say, the Astrals work in mysterious ways sometimes. You supposed that also extended to their Messengers as well.

"Would be nice if their mysterious ways include lifting up military blockades, though," you mumbled while opening up the map, careful that you didn't place it too close to the fireplace.

"What did you say?" Luna asked after settling down next to you by the fire.

"Nothing," you replied hastily before pointing a finger on the western side of the Disc. "This side here is mostly rocks, if I'm not mistaken. If we're lucky, we might be able to find an opening there."

Suddenly Pryna barked and pushed your hand away, more towards the northern side of the Disc. Luna helpfully explained, "I think she wants us to go there."

You raised your eyebrows first at Luna, then at Pryna. "Are you kidding me? The base is just right around the corner from there."

The only reply you got was Pryna licking the outer parts of her jaws and yawning. You sighed and turned your attention to Luna. "What are the chances that we get divine retribution if we don't follow what a Messenger says?"

Luna smiled. "Messengers don't do that. They only deliver messages from the gods. In that respect, they are not much different than me," explained Luna. "It is our choice in the end to take whatever path we think is the best."

You contemplated for a moment, eyes darting from the Oracle to the Messenger and vice versa. Then you let out another sigh. "Fine. We'll go where Pryna wants us to go."

"Marvelous," said Luna approvingly before handing you an uncooked cup noodle - as if it was your prize for being an obedient kid in the classroom.

* * *

Later at night, you found yourself sitting by the embers of the fireplace and staring at your phone. You had just sent a text to your uncle - to let you know that you were on the move - when the last text message from Nyx came into your view again.

_Be there in 15._

You closed your eyes and tried to imagine him actually saying that.

Not too long afterwards, you could hear the entrance of the tent flap open. You quickly locked the screen of your phone and turned around to see Luna stumbling out of the tent, with Pryna next to her heel.

"Hey." You forced up a smile. "Can't sleep?"

Luna returned your smile and shook her head. "Side effect of agitated nerves."

"Oh? Are you nervous?" You raised your eyebrows. "I guess it makes sense. You are meeting a god, after all."

You watched Luna take a seat next to you by the embers and noticed that Pryna was staying back by the entrance of the tent, seemingly resting on her belly. Then you turned your attention to the meteorite jutting out from the Disc. Even in the dark of the night, it still emitted a soft and mesmerizing glow.

"Luna, what is the reason behind you seeking out contact with the Archaean?" you asked, breaking the silence.

You saw Luna tilting her chin down. Her fingers were twirling with her necklace's pendant again. "I wish to forge a covenant with Him... in the name of Noctis."

"A covenant in the name of the King?" Your eyebrows rose high into your forehead. "Is it so he can reclaim the throne of Lucis back from Niflheim Empire?"

"It's… not only about that," she replied. "The darkness of the Starscourge is spreading even wider each day. Soon, the entire world will be consumed by it. And the only one that can rid the darkness from our world is…"

"... A King from the line ordained by the crystal: Lucis Caelum," you finished, remembering a passage that you heard a long time ago during your childhood. You sighed, then chuckled. "Damn… I thought those parts of the Cosmogony was nothing more than royalist propaganda."

"It is certainly true. Gentiana told me as much," replied Luna, seemingly missing the fact that you were joking. "And… I have seen it, too, in my dreams. So many people struggling and despairing in the absence of the Light… and Noctis is…"

You waited with held breath at the continuation of Luna's story, but she seemed too emotionally taxed to form the rest of it into words. You turned your attention back to the meteorite.

Then, remembering something that you had procured from your uncle a few days ago, you asked Luna, "Do you happen to carry the phone that I gave to you back in Insomnia?"

Her wide blue eyes blinked at you. "Yes, I do."

"Can I see it?"

"Of course."

She handed you the phone and you whipped up your own. The bright screen contrasted the dim yellow one emitted by Luna's phone. Unlike your much recent phone - which had to be charged several times since your flight from Insomnia - the older model seemed to still get by without having spent even much more than half of its battery. You sighed in envy before navigating to a contact that you had in mind, and then copying and saving it to Luna's phone.

"I've saved the phone number of King Noctis there," you explained upon returning the phone. "You could call him if you want."

Her ocean-blue pools of eyes were widened, then slowly dropped down to the phone in the palm of her hand. Her other hand trailed soft, unmarred fingers on the device as if it was something precious.

"Thank you for… giving me this possibility," she said with a cracked voice. "I will try to call him."

You noticed that she used the word 'try', but you pretended you hadn't noticed it. "You should. But there's no need to rush - just take your time," you said. "Besides, we're probably going to meet with him in Altissia, right?"

Luna paused a moment before replying hesitantly, "Yes… you are correct."

You didn't think much of her hesitation at the time, chalking it up mostly as anxiety from thinking of meeting up with a years-long crush.

"Well... it's an important day tomorrow," you remarked. "Better get some sleep in."

"... I suppose so."

"Alright. Goodnight, Luna."

"Goodnight, Leonis."

* * *

You started your journey early morning the next day - just light enough for the daemons to not spawn on your way from the haven to the Disc, but not too light that your approaching presence could easily be approached by the Imperial guards.

After tying the chocobos somewhere relatively hidden, you and Luna started making your way towards the Disc of Cauthess. The Imperial base was looming in the background, but the surroundings were mostly quiet. Pryna led ahead, padding through small paths hidden by bushes that led up the small hill on the edge of the Disc.

It was not the easiest path. Sometimes the hike required you to walk with both your hands and feet, trying to reach the spots where Pryna could somehow jump and pad to effortlessly. A couple of times, you even swore that Pryna had actually warped - and then waited on the hill for both of you with calm eyes and wagging tail.

"Now that is just cheating…," you remarked. Luna didn't answer your comment, however. Her eyes concentrated hard on the rocks scattered in front of her, trying to find the best route to climb.

You couldn't help but feel some sympathy for the Oracle - even for someone from the military like you, the path had not been easy. Nevertheless, Luna never once complained about the difficult terrain. For that one fact alone, you felt tremendous respect for her.

A few hours into the hike, you finally arrived at a path that was relatively flat. Bushes and plants that you had seen more often earlier were soon replaced by pillars of steam spewing out from cracks in the ground. At one point, you turned around and found that the base was standing some hundreds of meters away behind you.

"Huh. So you do know your way around here, huh?" you said to Pryna, who barked, and then dashed towards a side path. You and Luna followed her. Soon, the two of you were following down a path flanked on both sides by some ruinous structures.

"These ruins…," you heard Luna mutter next to you. "Could it be… a Lucian royal tomb?"

Pryna barked ahead as if telling you to hurry it up. So you followed after her down the path, which led to an open-air room. In the middle of the room stood a slightly tilted altar. Pryna eventually slowed to a stop before sitting on her hind legs next to the altar, snow-white tail wagging and pink tongue jutting out. 

Upon closer inspection, you noticed a carving of a man dressed in ancient armor was laid on the altar. His eyes were closed as if asleep, while his hands held the hilt of a long, regal-looking broadsword.

"The Grave of the Mystic," explained Luna. "The statue holds one of Lucian royal arms."

"Huh. Neat."

"Come closer with me, Leonis."

You walked closely behind Luna. By the time she arrived by the altar, she dropped down on both knees and clasped her hands together on the sword of the Mystic, looking for all the world like she was praying. The sword shimmered with soft hue at one point, and you weren't entirely sure if it did happen or if it was just your eyes being tricked by the steam that was spouting out of the very grounds of the Disc.

"Leonis, could you come here and kneel by me?" requested Luna.

"Ehh… sure."

You dropped the rucksack to the side and knelt next to Luna, facing the altar. She then instructed you to place your fist above your heart, much like a military salute.

"Now, repeat after me. 'I do swear that I will serve and truly serve...'"

You dropped your hand at once. "Excuse me? What on Eos are you trying to make me swear an oath for?"

Ocean-blue eyes looked at you. "I am trying to have you obtain the graces of the Founder King," she explained. "Do you trust me?"

You reluctantly said yes, then returned to your position. Luna said the oath out loud in parts, and you repeated,

"_I do swear that I serve and truly serve, _  
_ and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Somnus Lucis Caelum I, _  
_ his heirs and successors, _  
_ all the way to the Chosen King. _  
_ So gods be my witness and grant me thine Light, _ _  
for hearth and home_."

Almost half of it sounded like the oath you had taken on the day of your appointment as a Kingsglaive. It gave you a slightly bitter taste to repeat after the words - especially considering just how recent King Regis's death was. But you had full trust that Luna knew what she was doing.

Not long after you finished speaking up your oath, the sword on the altar started gleaming. It wasn't the trick of the steam at this point - the sword was really glowing and beginning to float up into the air. At one point, the glow had become too strong for you to handle - so you closed your eyes. By the time you opened them again, the sword was once again lying on the carving on the altar.

"... What just happened?" You turned to Luna with a befuddled look.

"You have been granted with the light of Kings, now that you've sworn an oath to the First King and all of his successors," explained Luna with a smile. "That means you should be able to wield magic again."

Your eyes must have been as wide as saucers. The next fifteen minutes saw you tossing your dagger around to warp all over the rocks, trying out multiple aerial tricks that you have learned and used over the years as a Glaive. You also cast a protective shield in many different sizes. The rush of adrenaline made your head giddy and you laughed in delight. However, once you started casting elemental magic - nothing happened. Not lightning, nor fire, nor ice. Your laughter stopped, then.

You looked questioningly at Luna, who shook her head with genuine regret. At the same time, Pryna began bounding again for another path. Slightly dejected, you followed after her with Luna.

* * *

"I am so sorry not all of your powers returned," said Luna after you had stopped by a haven within the Disc of Cauthess and set up camp. "The Kings of Yore are quite… particular when granting their powers to those not of royal blood."

You stared up into the night sky before answering anything. There was no fireplace during this particular camp because you didn't want to risk someone at the Imperial base spotting the smoke. That made the night quite chilly, so you had worn your Kingsglaive jacket on. The weight of your red cape - a telltale sign of a mage Glaive - was especially noticeable this time around.

"Eh. I suppose it should be fine," you said out loud in the end, shrugging. "It's not like a mage like me needs elemental magic to get by or anything."

"Don't worry," Luna continued. "Once you meet Noctis and swear your allegiance to him, I am sure your elemancy will come back."

"Luna... that was just sarcasm."

"Oh." She cast her eyes down. "... Are you really sure you are fine with this?"

You chuckled. "I always knew the powers that we had as Glaives were on loan from the King. Whatever he gives or takes, that's not up to me to decide."

You peered down at your hand in the meantime. There were soft scars and calluses there, courtesy of more than a decade in the military and spending a big chunk of it fighting in the frontline.

"If the Founder King decided that I can get by with protecting you with just this much power, then I don't see why I need to ask for more."

Luna's wide-blue eyes lingered on you for a moment before she, too, let out a chuckle. "Said like a true Glaive of the King, and a trusted Shield of the Oracle," she commented.

You hummed at that. "I think it kind of rhymes a bit better if you say 'a trusted Shield of the Queen' instead, don't you think?"

"Ah… that may be true."

Even in the dark of the night, you noticed that Luna had suddenly grown sheepish and started blushing. You smiled and thought of asking whether she had tried calling Noctis yet, but then you decided at the last moment to not actually ask it out loud. She seemed rather shy, so you didn't want to discourage her by being too nosy.

Both you and Luna retired to the tent not long afterwards. Your sleep had not been very peaceful, marred by dreams of two brothers destined to fight one another due to the influence of the Scourge. Then, in a different dream, you saw Nyx commanding the Old Wall amid the destruction of Insomnia. Half of his torso and face was burning bright as if a star was emerging from underneath his skin.

Yet, he kept on fighting. You had wanted so bad to reach out to him, to scream at him to stop. But you were also acutely aware that you couldn't do anything. He was out there doing what he thought was right and fulfilling his duty.

When you woke up the next morning, you found your eyes and cheeks were drenched with tears, for one reason or another. You quickly wiped them dry before sitting up and then rubbing off the rest of the sleep still hanging on your lashes. In fifteen minutes, you would forget everything that you had felt and seen - just like any other dreams.


	5. The River of Memory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After successfully accompanying the Oracle to forge a covenant with Titan, you ran into a familiar face that tried to take away the one thing that you cherished the most.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tag update: added Ardyn as a character. Also added Mindfuck because he is a twisted trash Jesus.
> 
> Song recommendation: [La Noyée](https://youtu.be/cMtxG0l_E2I) by Carla Bruni.
> 
> As you may have noticed, I listened to quite a lot of French songs while working on this fic...

The rest of the trip was uneventful compared to what happened the day before. There were a couple of hungry creatures that tried to ambush the three of you here and there, but they were easily dealt with a few warp-strikes. The Niflheim's gun that you had salvaged back in Insomnia grew less and less used now that you could warp again. You thought of perhaps chucking it after leaving the Disc - or perhaps teach Luna how to use it. Not that you were the best teacher to give lessons on how to use a gun, but still…

Eventually, you followed Pryna to a wide-open space with smooth floor and less steam coming out from the ground. The rocky hills that surrounded the area formed a big basin that concentrated around where you stood. Above you, lying on top of a tall rock structure, massive crystallines jutted out and pointed to the sky. The midday sunlight was reflected on them as myriads of colors like gigantic gems.

"It's the meteorite," you muttered. Just as you closed your mouth, you felt tremors underneath your feet. Your first instinct was to help Luna, but you fell instead on your bottom and could barely get up. From where you laid down, you saw with awe and surprise as the rock formation at the base of the meteorite began to move. Gradually, it rose into the form of a face. Gigantic brows furrowed in pain while a big chunk of crystal poked through one of its red eyes.

The face spoke - or so you assumed from the echoes of words that immediately resounded around the area. You couldn't understand what was being said, however. As you moved slowly back to your feet, you caught the sight of Luna stepping forward. Her ocean-blue eyes looked determinedly up at the gigantic face.

"Hear me, O, the Archaean!" she shouted. "I am your Oracle and I have come to request a communion."

The Archaean spoke again, still in a language that you couldn't understand. That didn't seem to be the case with Luna, however, because she continued on, "I have come here to appeal to you: lend your powers to the King of Kings. Forge a covenant with him, and aid him in his journey to bring the Light back to our star."

The Archaean replied again in the language that you at this point assumed to be spoken by the Astrals, and was only understood by their Oracle. It was then that you truly understood why exactly Eos needed an Oracle - to literally be an ambassador between humans and gods.

"A Trial there will be, and a Trial shall the King overcome," said Luna next. She picked up the javelin that she had bought from the prairie outpost for the hunt and stabbed it on the ground in front of her. Soon enough, both the weapon and her figure started to emanate a soft golden glow that you had seen before when she tried to heal King Regis and Nyx.

"By the powers vested in me by the six gods of Eos, I take your words, O, Titan, god of the earth and mountains, that you shall provide the Chosen King with a Trial to prove his worth. Should he complete your challenges, you are bound to aid him at any time he requires it - until the Scourge is forever rid from our star."

Titan spoke again, and at the conclusion, golden ray shot up from both the Astral and the Oracle to the sky above. As soon as the light faded, the tremors returned. It was much harder this time, and you could barely stand on your feet for more than a few seconds. Following the tremors were loud cracking sounds, as well as hissing noises as steam started to spew out from all over the ground. Before you could react, a chasm formed suddenly under you, and you could immediately feel gravity pulled at the center of your weight.

"Leonis!!!"

Luna's scream of your last name was the last thing you heard before everything went to black.

* * *

_"You’re drifting away on the river of memory,_

_And I'm running along the bank, shouting at you to come back,_

_But slowly you slip away."_

"Ugh…"

You tried to get up, but it was not without difficulty - whenever you tried to move, something somewhere in your body ached. You had hit a couple of rocks on the way down, and while none of them hit your head, you expected to have nasty bruises all over by the end of the day.

Leaning back on your elbows, you took a look around your surroundings, taking some time for your eyes to get adjusted to the little light. It was dark, and the only light source was the opening where you had fallen from. At the edge of the crevice, you could see a silhouette of someone's head looking down.

"Leonis!!"

From the sound of it, that head must have belonged to none other than Luna. You shouted back at her, at least to notify her that you were still alive.

"Oh, thank the gods… are you able to make your way back up here?!"

"Not by climbing, at least!" you yelled back. Then you hissed and yelped when the muscles on your right shoulder blade suddenly burned. Must have been one of the body parts that hit a rock earlier.

"Leonis!! Are you hurt?!" shouted Luna again. "Wait there! Pryna and I shall find our way to you!"

"Wait! Don't just… ah, she's gone already..."

You let yourself drop down on the ground and laid flat on your back. Somewhere in your right shoulder blade, there was a knot that throbbed and burned, sending muscle pain like fire all over your torso. You closed your eyes and tried to distract yourself from the pain by paying more attention to your breathing - until you could hear the sound of footsteps approaching.

"Luna?"

You opened your eyes and turned to your right. There was a shape of a person standing in the dark. You couldn't see exactly if it was a man or a woman, but what you could make out was the shape of the hat that the person was wearing. It was not the cap that you had given to Luna upon arriving at the prairie outpost.

You sat up as quickly as you physically could, with your hand reaching at the hilt your dagger. The shadowy figure let out a chuckle and took a couple of steps closer.

"Well, well. What do we find here? An abandoned Glaive?"

The voice was familiar to you, and the realization of who it belonged to sent a chill down your spine. You struggled to stand on your feet, curved dagger unsheathed and pointed towards the figure.

"Oh, my... Are you really pointing a weapon at me?"

As your eyes were getting more used to the dim lighting, you could see the man held one hand over his heart as if feigning hurt.

"I thought we really connected well back at the gala party in Insomnia. Am I mistaken, then, dark stranger?"

"What are you doing here?" you balked. This is bad, you thought. Luna was coming here, and here was Ardyn Izunia, Chancellor of Niflheim Empire, standing in front of you and chatting to you merrily about a gala party back in Insomnia.

"Well, I just happened to be around the area when I suddenly saw two wonderful pillars of light spewing out of the only meteor site crash in Eos. I thought I should drop by and give a look."

Ardyn's voice was fluid and filling in the spaces of the cavern - like he belonged to the darkness itself. He took a few steps then, not directly towards you but around you instead, like a predator circling its prey. The clicks of his boots were echoed by the rocks around.

"Besides," he continued before stopping in his tracks. His bemused golden eyes were on you, and you could see them clearly despite the little lights. "Isn't that what a good chancellor does? Inspect and learn the itty bitty details of a recently conquered nation?"

That last sentence of his drove you into seeing red. With a scream, you threw your dagger and performed a warp-strike at the Chancellor. Instead of lodging a hit, your attack was somehow blocked. Red flickers of light materialized from thin air, and the blade of your dagger hit a translucent, red-glowing broadsword that was floating in the air just in front of Ardyn. He picked the sword, and the weapon immediately materialized for real upon his touch. He then hit you square on your chest bone with its hilt. You staggered back and fell on one knee, gasping for air.

"I see you managed to obtain your powers back," he remarked nonchalantly. Sword tapped carelessly across his own shoulder while he continued on circling you like smiling, prying vulture. "How is that possible, I wonder? Did you perhaps get some… _ divine _ intervention?"

Instead of answering, you charged at him again. Each of your warp-strikes was blocked with a seemingly easy swing of his sword. When you sent a kick, the Chancellor managed to capture your ankle and sent it up to loosen your balance. You fell with your back on the ground - hard. As you tried to get up, you found out that Ardyn had pointed the sharp end of his sword towards your throat.

"I may not have been able to guess your _ real _ identity that night," he purred, tracing the blade just a breadth of a hair away from your skin. You couldn't help but gulp. "But we have all the time to get to know each other now."

You had fully expected Ardyn to stab you with the sword, but instead, he grabbed your throat with one hand and lifted you up as if you weighed nothing. You gasped and wheezed sharply, not only to get some more air but also to get rid of the black particles that had suddenly appeared and swarmed your vision. You noticed immediately that it was the same particles left by daemons once you defeated them in a battle.

"What… do you want?" you asked raspily, hands grappling at Ardyn's which was wound around your throat. There was a glint of madness in his golden eyes, which glowed eerily in the dim lights.

"Why, your memories, of course," replied Ardyn as if it was the most obvious answer to your question.

The Chancellor tightened his hold on your throat and you gasped in pain. He then dismissed his sword and placed his newly-free hand unnervingly gently on your forehead. "Would you kindly give it to me, my dear?"

You screamed as his touch somewhat roused the stream of memories that started to pour into your consciousness. The smell of your father's cooking. Your first day at the military academy. All appeared and then was sucked away like rainwater going straight down the drain.

"Stop!" you begged in panic, finally realizing what the man was doing. He was absorbing your memories, and as an exchange, he was embedding something else into you. Something dark and inhuman and all-consuming.

Eventually, the memories that showed up were about your time in Glaive. The first time you received your uniform. The first time you sparred in the training arena. You kicked your leg at Ardyn but ended up hitting the air. Meanwhile, you experienced all over again the first kiss with Nyx on the abandoned apartment block's rooftop. The grin that he made when he asked for your first name.

"No…!!" You screamed and shouted and kicked and struggle. You couldn't lose your memories of Nyx. Not now or ever.

Ardyn merely chuckled. The darkness around him grew thick like ink it made you gasp for air. "My, my, Leonis. How cruel are you to deny me?"

His grip on you tightened ever so slightly and you yelped in pain. Behind your shut eyes, you saw yourself kissing Nyx by the broken fountain of Insomnia's Section D. Then he slipped the Ring of Lucii off his finger and placed it onto your open palm.

You felt gravity pulling you down and air rushed in full stop to fill your lungs. After hitting the ground, you rolled aside to cough and gasp for several moments. Then a hand touched at your chin, forcing you to turn and look at the Chancellor directly in his glinting golden eyes. At that point, he was crouching on one knee so his eye level was closer to you on the ground.

"So you are the Ring Bearer, huh?" he remarked. "How… fascinating."

You snarled and swung your dagger at him. He evaded easily by simply standing up to his feet. You tried to chase after him but found your legs too slow to react. When you glanced down at your hand, you saw that a big rash had bloomed on its surface - but instead of red, the rash was pitch black.

The Scourge, you immediately thought. Your eyes trailed up to meet Ardyn's smiling, golden ones in a daze. "How did you…?"

"Another topic for another time, my dear," he cut your question before adjusting the black fedora hat nestled on his head. "But for now, try to enjoy the Scourge. If you're lucky, you may still retain your consciousness - for a few days, at most."

He smiled before making his exaggerated bow, then turned to walk back to where he had come from. You felt pain exploding from your limbs as soon as he left, and you keeled over on the ground with a tortured scream.

As you laid back on the ground, feeling the inside of your head becoming dazed and burning with fever, you looked up to the opening where you had come from. The Astral Titan was just beyond that light.

_Please keep him away from Luna_, you prayed quietly before closing your eyes.

* * *

When you woke up again, the first thing you saw was the tuft of fluff on the side of Pryna's head. The Messenger jutted her tongue out upon seeing you opening your eyes fully, which made it look like she was smiling.

"Pryna…"

Your throat and lips felt dry when you tried to speak. Belatedly, you also noticed two hands holding gently onto the left and right sides of your head. On closer inspection, you also realized that Luna was touching her forehead gently to yours.

"Blessed the Stars of life and light…," she whispered more than that but in your haze, you could only hear a few words.

The more you regained consciousness, the more you were aware that something warm and comforting was flowing through your body. You raised your hand and was slightly surprised to find it _ glowing_. The black rash that was embedded there was slowly dissolving with the warm golden light that enveloped your skin.

"Luna…" You looked up to search for her ocean-blue eyes, but they were closed the whole time she was performing the healing rite to get rid of your Scourge. So you reached a hand up and placed it gently on one of hers. "... Thank you."

When she lifted her head up at the end of the rite, Luna smiled down at you warmly. "Just doing my duty," she said. However, her eyebrows quickly furrowed with concern. "How did you get inflicted with the Scourge? I am surprised a daemon would spawn at such close proximity to an Astral."

"Yeah, about that… I'll tell you more on the way," you said before getting up to your feet with a grunt. It was much easier than you had expected, though. Even the pain in your shoulder blade was barely there anymore. It only added to the gratitude that you already had for the Oracle.

"Let's get the hell out of this place first."

* * *

"So it was Chancellor Izunia that infected you with the Scourge?"

"Yeah…"

You looked at Luna and noticed that her eyebrows had furrowed. You imagined a similar expression must have shown up on your face as well. "It… doesn't make any sense. I thought you could only get infected with the Scourge from a daemon. I didn't know a human could give Scourge."

"No, of course not."

"Does that mean the Chancellor was a daemon? Or did I see a daemon that looked like the Chancellor? But as you said, how could a daemon spawn so close to an Astral...?"

You felt so lost. Nothing seemed to make sense. And the fact that your memories were a jumbled mess didn't help either… you even thought you saw the daemon-Chancellor summoned a sword to block your attacks - much like how King Regis used to do back when he still commanded the army. You shook your head.

"Sorry… I guess I haven't been making much sense. Must have been the Scourge messing with my head… huh, Luna?"

The first sight that you saw upon turning around was the Oracle lying down on her stomach, with her Messenger companion poking her snout trying to wake her up. You cursed under your breath and sprinted back. After trying several times to wake Luna up to no avail, you decided that the best action to do was to carry her somewhere she could rest in relative safety.

You shot a look down at Pryna. "You don't happen to know a hidden haven somewhere nearby, do you?"

Pryna dashed immediately forward, which you took to mean as a yes. You busied yourself with lifting Luna's unconscious form across your shoulders in a fireman's carry, making sure that you could still reach your dagger if needed, and followed after the Messenger as fast you humanly could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos and bookmarks! I hope you are enjoying this story as much as I enjoy writing it.
> 
> If you want to let me know that you like this chapter - or any other chapter of this work - in particular, feel free to leave a ❤ in the comment!


	6. The Prophecy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Luna slept, Gentiana appeared before you to reveal the prophecy of the True King.
> 
> After making a promise to the Messenger, you were visited by two kings in your dream - who bore cryptic news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tag updates: added Regis and Somnus.
> 
> I also reintroduced my original character from The Last Glaive, Verrum Almecy, in this chapter. Because I'm a sucker for foil tropes and just needed to write one for the Reader's character.

After setting up the tent, you tucked Luna into the sleeping bag as best as you could. There was little else that you could do - you couldn't even cast a healing spell or make potions. At least she didn't have a fever, though. Maybe it was just exhaustion from the long hike, and Luna would be fine again after a good night's rest. Or so you hoped.

Sighing, you exited the tent and sat down on the ground of the haven. Pryna joined you shortly after, lying down on her belly right next to your folded knee. You absently scratched the tuft of fluff between her ears while watching the sun beginning to set behind the jutting rocks and occasional steam of the Disc.

At one point, you felt the wind change. You closed your eyes for a blink, and when you opened it again, Gentiana had stood right between you and the sunset.

"Oh, hey, Gentiana." You tried to conceal the fact that you were surprised out of your wits by maintaining a calm, casual tone. "Took you no time at all to show up."

If Gentiana sensed the sarcasm in your sentence, she didn't let it show. "The Shield has done well in serving the Astrals' Oracle. To show Their gratitude, any questions that she may have now shall be answered."

"So I’m getting a Q&A session for all my troubles?" You raised your eyebrows. "Is that what this is?"

Gentiana said nothing. You let out an exasperated sigh before brushing a hand over your face, surrendering to the fact of life that you would never understand Messengers - either human or dog-shaped - completely.

You took a moment to think up a question to ask her - and came up with nothing. Funny how it seemed like you had all these questions buzzing around all the time in your brain, but once you had the chance to ask them out loud, you could barely think of what to say.

Eventually, you decided on the most urgent one, "What happened to Luna?"

"Communion with an Astral takes a toll on a mortal body. Even those blessed by the gods," replied Gentiana. "The lady requires rest."

"Alright. Next question..." You paused again to think. "Why did Luna refer to King Noctis as 'Chosen King' in her communion with Titan?"

"The Chosen King fights to purge the Scourge from our star," resumed Gentiana. "To crown the King of Light is the calling of the crystal. When darkness veils the world, the King of Kings shall come. With the Glaive of Kings, the Stone of Legend, and the Ring of Light in hand, he shall end the Accursed's madness and bring back the dawn."

"Whoa. Wait. Hold on."

That… was way too much information crammed into one answer. You crossed your arms in front of your chest, trying to process what you were just being told. And also trying to decide which term baffled you the most so you could ask about it first.

"Who's the Accursed?" you asked next. "Is he the one responsible for the Scourge? Is it even a he? What even is it?"

Gentiana was unruffled when she continued, "A man cursed with life eternal by the selfsame Scourge that wrought the daemons. Once hailed as a savior of this world and destined to be King, the darkness that he absorbed grew too much and led the crystal to reject him. His mind twisted by spite and bent on revenge, the Usurper came to bring darkness down upon our world."

"... Wait. So the daemons are created from the Scourge?" You couldn't believe that this wasn't public knowledge already. "Is that the Accursed's doing?"

Gentiana answered calmly, "The Accursed is able to imbue the living with his own blight, and call them forth to his bidding as daemons."

"Imbue with his own blight… huh."

You thought back of your time in the cavern with the Chancellor. Especially on the moment he was inflicting you with the Scourge.

"Chancellor Ardyn Izunia is the Accursed, isn't he?"

You looked up to search for Gentiana's confirmation. The Messenger was giving you the slightest hint of a nod.

"He was also destined to be King, huh?" you repeated. "... Is that how he managed to have the same magic as the Lucian Kings?"

"The powers of the Usurper are a mere replica of the crystal's blessings," Gentiana further explained. "They are granted to him by the very Scourge that also rendered him immortal."

"I see." You nodded in understanding. The knowledge felt rather comforting as well - even if you lost some of your memories, at the very least you knew that you weren't losing your mind just yet… "And the Ring of Light is..."

You reached a hand into the inner pocket of your uniform to take out the Ring of Lucii. The jewel on its core reflected the slightest light of sunset on your open palm.

"The Ring Bearer shall deliver the Ring to the True King and raise hope for the Light," explained Gentiana. "Without her cooperation, the King of Light is unable to fully ascend to his throne, and the dawn of the future will never rise again."

You closed your fist around the ring. The steel felt warm on your skin somehow. You wondered if Nyx also felt the same warmth when he...

"If I that's what's needed to save the future, then I will do it," you said, looking straight to Gentiana's closed eyes. "I will be your Ring Bearer."

A smile rose on the Messenger's lips. "The Shield's promise has been heard. The Astrals are forever indebted to her."

You blinked once, and Gentiana was gone. In her place, the night sky was dark and wide and full of stars. After a moment of contemplation, you got to your feet and headed to where you had stowed the rucksack, and pulled out a shock cord that you had reserved in case of tent emergency. Then, quietly so that you wouldn't wake Luna, you cut an appropriate length of the cord with your dagger and turned it into a necklace around your neck - with the Ring of Lucii hanging from it like a pendant.

* * *

After you went to sleep that night, you dreamed of King Regis. He was standing on the roof of Caelum Via, amid guests of a party. When your gazes met, his smile became small and forlorn.

"My dear Leonis," he greeted, offering his arm for you to take. "How glad I am to see you. Please, come walk with me."

You accepted King Regis' offer, reaching to his elbow with one hand while automatically pulling up the skirt your dress with the other hand. It was at that point that you realized you were wearing the same velvet black dress that your uncle had bought for you for the gala party. You opened your mouth to ask him something - anything - but words eventually failed you and you fell quiet once more.

Both you and King Regis made a slow, silent walk around the Royal Aquarium. All around you, fireworks burst in colorful lights, while a pianist and violinist played a melancholic tune that accompanied each of your steps. The silhouette of Insomnia's skyline was glittering beyond the edges of the rooftop. However, when you paid a bit more attention to the scenery, you noticed that the glimmers had actually consisted of dots of orange, with trailing smoke that went up the Wall-less night sky. You gasped and immediately stopped in your tracks, suddenly realizing that all that you saw was not real.

"I'm sorry."

The two words escaped your mouth before you even directed your eyes properly to King Regis. Memories of his body falling to cold granite floor overwhelmed your emotion. Warmth began spreading in your chest and you felt your lips were almost quivering. "Your Majesty... I am so very, very sorry…"

"Oh, my sweet child..."

King Regis grasped at your hand that was holding his elbow. You couldn't tell if his fingers were warm or cold - they were just… there. You looked into his blue-grey eyes and saw something akin to sympathy there. Perhaps even pity.

"I should be the one apologizing to you," he said. "I… _ we_, truly, have burdened you with a duty too great for any mortal to bear."

You were about to ask what he meant, but King Regis' attention on you was ultimately interrupted by a man with hair and eyes the color of the storm. He leaned in closer to the King and quietly notified him that his presence was requested elsewhere. King Regis apologized to the man, smiled apologetically at you, and then slipped his arm away from your grasp to go wherever he had been requested.

The other man turned his attention to you and the background of Caelum Via's festive rooftop melted away. In its place was a wide field of wheat or barley that went as far as the eyes could see, with the scorching sun shining in the sky above. There was not a single party guest anywhere, and you stood alone with the man with storm-colored eyes in the middle of the vast open field. On a second look, you belatedly noticed that the man was dressed in a robe that you vaguely remembered seeing in a historical museum.

"Who are you?" you asked - more out of curiosity than wariness.

"I am a King," he replied. "That is all that you need to know - for now."

He took a step closer, and for a split of a second, you caught a glimpse of a scene from another dream that you had seen before. Two brothers clashing swords: midnight blue striking against wine red.

"You shouldn't be here too long," advised the man, breaking you out of your temporary vision. "Your True King needs you, as well as his Oracle."

The dark-haired, dark-eyed man who was dressed in an ancient robe touched his index and middle finger on your forehead. The field of golden grass field under the forever shining sun was gone and replaced with vast darkness.

* * *

It was late morning by the time you woke up, with the sun hanging already far from the horizon but the smell of dew still fresh in the air. Once you got out of the tent, you stood up somewhat groggily before starting to stretch and yawn. The cool breeze of the morning greeted you and made you shiver, so you thought of going back to the tent to grab your jacket. Perhaps checking on Luna as well on your way out. However, just as you turned, you heard a click of a gun's safety being released - and immediately froze any movement.

"That's as far as you could go, Leonis," said a feminine voice from behind you, followed with the soft whirring of mechanical gears that was a telltale sign of MTs. "Get down on your knees, and put your hands up where I can see them."

"Verrum..."

Your voice was low but was laced with boiling anger once you managed to glance at your oppressor. The ex-Glaive was wearing parts of armor made of silver metal that was usually worn by a Niflheim operative. "Are you one of Luche's henchmen as well?"

Verrum Almecy snorted, yet still kept the muzzle of her gun trained perfectly on you.

"Luche was an idiotic megalomaniac. I'd rather die than be one of his henchmen," she said. "I'm in the mercenary business now. Much more lucrative than being a career mole."

"You're profiteering from the war now?" You could barely contain your anger at this point. Both of your hands were tightened into fists.

"Careful, now," replied Verrum calmly. "We don't want a stray bullet hitting our revered Oracle, do we?"

"Only if I don't take you and your minions down first."

By the end of your sentence, you tossed your dagger at Verrum and reappeared again with flickers of light, close enough to slash down your blade at her. She flicked at her gun, causing it to morph for a split second into a blade, and used it to block your attack. Upon contact with your dagger, her blade shimmered with a red-purple glow.

_ Magitek weapon_, you thought, clenching your teeth.

You pulled back and relaunched the attack from the side. Verrum evaded it with a side-step, flicked the blade back into a gun, and swung its barrel towards your solar plexus - which you managed to capture before sending your dagger towards the direction of her throat. Almost immediately, another click of a gun resounded close to your ear, and your hand stopped before the blade ever made an impact on skin.

"You still have your magic," commented Verrum. Her flat expression was almost impressed.

"Yes, because I'm not a filthy traitor," you retorted.

She clicked her tongue. "Contrary to what you want to believe, Leonis - I'm not here to fight. My assignment is to pick you and the Oracle up without any harm."

"Sure." You narrowed your eyes. "The Empire also said that they'd leave Insomnia alone once the treaty was signed."

Verrum sent you an incredulous glare. "The Oracle's brother sent me here. He wants to speak with his sister."

You were about to blurt out a reply, but then you heard the rustling sound of someone coming - or being pulled - out of the tent. Luna came to your field of view next, her blue eyes were half-lidded with sleep while her slim upper arm was being gripped by the second MT.

"So we are going to leave with her now, and you can choose whether you want to come with us or not," Verrum further explained. "How about that, Leonis? Which one do you prefer?"

You glared back at Verrum in silence for some more time, then eventually relented and withdrew your dagger. However, you never did sheath it and kept holding it in your hand.

"Now we're making progress," said Verrum before pulling back and making her way towards the path leading out of the haven. The MTs - and to an extent also Luna - followed after her, and you did reluctantly as well. From a little way ahead, you could hear Verrum nonchalantly shouted,

"Come on, now! If we hurry back to the base, we might still make it to breakfast."


	7. Under Imperial Mercy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the Imperial base in Duscae, you and Luna met with Ravus. His proposal to spirit Luna back to Tenebrae was strongly objected by the Oracle herself, so you got stuck with consoling a heartbroken princess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tag updates: added Ravus and Hurt/Comfort.
> 
> I am so sorry if this chapter is a bit bleak and slow and short. The next chapters will have some more dry humor and shenanigans, I promise!

It felt odd walking into an Imperial base without the explicit intention to attack or sneak into it in order to get something out. The Imperial troops - both MTs and humans - made way for all three of you upon seeing Verrum. She led your little group towards the armory, where the ex-Glaive handed in her gun and let the MTs be led to their storage. When Verrum was done, you were just about ready to move on - but she stopped you in your tracks.

"Hey, not so fast, soldier," she said. "Can't have you running around the base holding _that_."

She gestured at the unsheathed dagger in your hand. You looked grimly at the mercenary, then at Luna, who nodded weakly. You sighed, stepped forward, and then stabbed your dagger on the wooden counter of the armory where it stood up straight.

"Not like I need it to use elemancy anyway," you bluffed, at which Verrum gave a nonchalant, not-that-I-care-but-okay shrug.

"This way. I'm gonna grab us some breakfast before we see Ravus," she said.

You noticed Verrum's laid-back use of the Deputy High Commander's first name but decided to say nothing about it. Instead, your attention was mostly on Luna. She was awake and walking, but there were subtle dark rings under her eyes. It was as if her sleep was barely giving her the much-needed rest. She also spoke little the entire time you were walking from the haven to the base.

You also noticed that both Pryna and Umbra were nowhere to be found. In fact, you weren't even sure if you had seen either one of them in the entire morning. How convenient that all Messengers left just as shit hit the fan, you couldn't help but think.

"Hey." You reached out to gently touch Luna's elbow. "Everything okay?"

The Oracle turned to you and nodded with a smile. "Just a little hungry is all," she replied.

"I wonder what your brother's got to say," you muttered, remembering the sight of Ravus in the Council hall in Insomnia with one of his arms burning. The memory made the weight of the makeshift necklace underneath your shirt even more noticeable. "Do you think he's still trying to get the ring for himself?"

"Maybe…"

You saw Luna casting her eyes down, and you took it as a sign not to ask any more questions.

* * *

Having breakfast in the cafeteria of the base was a surreal experience. None of the Imperial soldiers wore a helmet, which was quite striking to you since you only ever saw them on the battlefield with full armor. It all looked very… normal, even outright reminding you of a lunch time in Kingsglaive cafeteria.

Another thing that you noticed was that no other soldier was sitting on the long table where you, Verrum, and Luna were sitting on. You saw some of them stared this way, though, and wondered if it was because they recognized Luna.

"Yeah, don't mind them staring, Leonis," said Verrum. "It took me a while to get used to. But they don't really take kindly to mercenaries here."

"Huh. I wonder why," you replied dryly.

Verrum glared at you from behind the glass of orange juice that she was drinking from.

"You should be grateful that they're mistaking you and the Princess here as mercenaries. Otherwise, you're getting shipped to the labor camp in Succarpe faster before you could say Astral," she said after putting down her glass on the table. "Also your elemancy is worth shit because there are way more magitek weapons here than you can incapacitate with your lightning spell. So don't even think of starting anything funny."

You slowly sipped from your own cup of coffee while keeping your glare on Verrum intact - a quiet answer to her challenge. Before you could take any concrete action, however, Luna suddenly spoke up with a warm smile, "I think I am quite finished with breakfast. Shall we make our way to my brother soon?"

You glanced down at her tray and saw that she barely ate anything. Just a couple of bites from the toast and half a cup of tea.

"In a moment, Princess," said Verrum before finishing up her orange juice. "Alright. Let's go."

The three of you had walked a few meters away from the cafeteria when Verrum added, "Oh yeah, just to let you know, Ravus has gotten some… _enhancement_ after his arm was burned off in Insomnia. Just giving you two a heads up."

Both you and Luna exchanged looks but said nothing as you continued on following Verrum along the long corridor of the base.

* * *

The enhancement that Verrum talked about turned out to be a magitek-powered arm prosthetic. It certainly looked menacing, with a mighty steel claw that seemed capable of ripping apart a watermelon with one swing. Or, alternatively, someone's head.

But Ravus did nothing of the like. The first thing that he did when he saw you, Verrum, and Luna coming in from the door of his office was widening his eyes - which you noticed was a lighter blue than Luna's on the right but almost violet on the left. Then he almost flipped over his desk when he half-ran to where Luna was and pulled her into a tight hug using both his natural and prosthetic arms.

"Luna... you are unharmed. Thank the Astrals."

"Ravus…" Luna called out as she embraced her brother. Her lean fingers brushed against the cold metal of his arm. "I am so sorry."

"I'm fine now. Don't worry," he muttered before pulling back. His attention then turned towards you. "Thank you for keeping my sister safe. I am indebted to you for it."

You wanted to say something, then. Maybe ask what he thought when General Glauca cut down the Ring of Lucii from King Regis's hand, or how it was like to see the entire government of Lucis mowed down by MT bullets in the Council hall. And maybe also ask what exactly did the Lucian Kings of Old say when they rejected him and burned his arm after he arrogantly claimed that the ring - a crown jewel of Lucis - had belonged to him.

But there was sincerity in his eyes and in his voice that reminded you of another man that had lost his sister in the war. Suffice to say, it dampened your anger exponentially. So instead of spitting out your anger, you decided to compose yourself and said, "There is nothing to thank, sir."

He turned his attention back to Luna. "I am preparing a dropship for you to go back to Tenebrae," he said. "It is not going to be ready right away since I need to pull a few strings… but you are going to be home soon."

"No, Ravus." The Oracle shook her head. "You, out of all people, should know that I cannot go back to Tenebrae now."

"Please, Luna. I can only protect you for so long." His voice sounded both tired and concerned. "The Emperor is hell-bent on getting his hands on you and the Ring of Lucii. You will be much safer at home."

"I cannot go home, Ravus," retorted Luna. "I have a duty that I must fulfil."

Ravus's lips thinned. Diverting his mismatched eyes to you and Verrum, he announced, "Please leave us."

"... No, I shall go with them as well."

"Luna…"

Before you could grasp what was actually happening, Luna was already grabbing your hand and storming off the office, leaving you stumbling after her.

* * *

You didn't know where you were going, and you highly suspected that it was the same with Luna as well. You didn't complain, however. The mindless walk allowed you to think back on the conversation between Luna and Ravus that you just witnessed.

So the Deputy High Commander had been shielding his sister from the Empire this whole time, even though such action could impact his career - and even his life. That must mean that you had unknowingly benefited from this protection as well, by proxy of travelling with the Oracle.

You couldn't help but think back on King Regis's last words to the Oracle as well. _Locked doors will seal your fate no longer_. As much as she liked to toss around words about her duty, you wondered if Luna was also actively trying to run away from her cage.

"Luna…" You broke the silence between you in the end. "... Do you want to stop and talk?"

Luna stopped walking gradually. Slowly, she turned around to face you, and you saw that tears had begun to well up in her blue eyes.

"Thank you for the offer, Leonis… but I think…"

Before she could continue, tears were falling freely from her eyes. Without thinking, you stepped closer and wrapped both your arms around Luna. She returned the gesture, and let herself cry on your shoulder in the empty hallway.

* * *

Eventually, an Imperial soldier caught up to you in the hallway and led you and Luna to where your rooms were for the night. From one glance, you could guess that the soldier was quite young. Maybe not even in his twenties.

It reminded you of your first deployment as a Glaive, right after you graduated from the military academy at 18 years old. Everyone in the Lucian base was bossing you around as well, and some were especially delighted with saying out your last name together with the order.

"What's your name, if I may know?" you asked him.

"You can call me Tonnaer, ma'am."

"Tonnaer, huh?" you repeated, trying to commit it into your memory. "Thank you for showing us the way."

"Certainly, ma'am. Let me know if there's anything else you need."

"We will. Thank you, Tonnaer."

After Tonnaer left, you sat down on one of the bunk beds next to Luna. She was not crying anymore at this point, but her eyes definitely still looked puffy.

"So…," you began, not really knowing where to start. Your military experience didn't really prepare you on how to console crying, heartbroken princesses. "I'm not going to ask you about what just happened in the Deputy High Commander's office... but I did talk with Gentiana last night, and there are some things I'd like to cross-check with you."

You inspected Luna's expression as you spoke, trying to read whatever emotion was reflected on her glassy blue eyes. "Is it okay if I talk to you about it now?"

Slowly, she raised her chin and looked straight at you. A deep sigh left her lips. "Yes, of course," she replied before pulling up a perfectly trained smile.

Alright, you thought. We're getting somewhere.

"Gentiana told me of the prophecy of the Chosen King and the Accursed... I understood that she was actually referring to King Noctis and Chancellor Izunia," you began carefully. "Is that why you are meeting with the Astrals? To have them help King Noctis in his fight against the Chancellor?"

Luna nodded quietly. "My duty… is to protect Noctis and see his destiny fulfilled," she replied. Once again, you noticed her fingers absently tracing the moon-and-star pendant hanging from the thin silver chain around her neck. It made you somewhat aware of a particular ring hanging from your own neck. "That is why I cannot go back to Tenebrae."

"... Even if the covenants take a great toll on your body?" you asked after a moment of silence.

"I do not fear death," she replied calmly. You noticed grimly that she had said the exact same thing before, back when you were still in Insomnia. "What I fear is doing nothing... and losing everything."

"Huh. Is that so?" you pondered out loud after a moment. No wonder her brother sounded so frustrated...

"And what of the people that you leave behind? And all the things that you could have said, but you were never given the time to say it out loud to those that matter the most?"

You realized belatedly that the questions you posed weren't really only meant for Luna. You closed your eyes and sighed.

"Just… pretend you never heard those questions," you stated before standing up and heading towards the door. "I'll go check when is the lunch ready. Be right back."

"Very well."

As you were opening the door leading out of the bedroom, you were stopped by Luna saying out loud, "Remember, Leonis. Those that you thought you lost never truly left your side. They still keep watch over you, from the Beyond."

You turned to flash her a sad smile. A quip was ready to jump from the tip of your tongue about how there were dead Glaives that died on the frontline and never made it back. Not even as body parts to perform funeral rites on to ease their passing to the Beyond. But you instead said, "I know. I've read the Cosmogony, too, you know."

Then you stepped out, and quietly closed the door. Inevitably, your thoughts went to Nyx, and you felt a strong urge to lean your back against the steel surface of the door and slowly descend into a crumpled mess on the floor.

But that urge was never put into action. Instead, you took one step after another, on and on as you determinedly tasked yourself to march towards the cafeteria.


	8. Plan of Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unhappy with Luna's condition in the Imperial base, you began to plan your escape with her. But it did not go quite as you had expected...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tag update: implied sexual content because... well, you will see. Changed the rating to M also because of that.

The few days that you spent in the Imperial Duscae base was actually rather uneventful. Luna spent a lot of time sleeping - probably recovering from her communion with Titan. Whenever she was awake, you went together with her to the cafeteria to have meals or drinks, where you sat on a table that no other soldiers wanted to sit on. You also made use of the base's gym area to work out almost every day and found out that the soldiers there avoided you as well.

It provided some privacy, in a way. In the end, you begrudgingly had to admit that Verrum was right - you and Luna were lucky to be considered mercenaries here.

However, despite the daily visits to the base’s clinic - a mandatory requirement issued by the High Commander himself - you couldn’t help but notice that Luna wasn’t exactly… flourishing during your stay in the base. The dark rings under her brilliant blue eyes grew even more pronounced over time, and there was also a certain apathy that she exuded every time you suggested a new activity - like watching the meteorite over tea, which you were so sure she would have enjoyed. You also noticed that she started eating less and less, and had taken to retreating to the bedroom earlier in the evening. It reached a point where, during one particular dinner, you felt like you had to conduct some kind of intervention.

So you placed your cutlery down on the table, took one deep breath in, and asked, "Is the food alright?"

Luna looked up to you as if she was distracted. "Oh yes… it is delicious. I just have little appetite, is all."

You hummed. "Let me try that," you said before stabbing your fork into a potato croquette on Luna's tray and then putting it into your own mouth. Her ocean-blue eyes widened as she watched every single movement that you did, eventually lingering on your own eyes as you began munching on the morsel.

"Oh, yeah, that was horrible," you remarked after swallowing the croquette. "No wonder you wouldn't touch it for a mile."

After a moment, Luna let out a string of chuckles. "You are exaggerating. It truly is not that bad," she replied.

"Well, you seem to like our luncheon meat and cup noodle dinner better than this, so…"

"I do prefer our luncheon meat and cup noodles for dinner, to be honest. Or foraging for wild tomatoes for breakfast," she chuckled. "It wasn't very easy or comfortable, but I loved the time we spent in Leide. It was so… carefree."

You noticed that her smile turn ever more wistful. "I wish we could return to how things were..."

"Well…" You crossed your arms and rested them on the table. "Who said that it's off the table?"

Luna looked at you with wide blue eyes. "Could you… elaborate more?"

"We can always leave, Luna. You have that choice, you know?" you whispered, careful not to be heard by people sitting at the neighboring tables. "We might need to iron some details about how to go about it. But if you do want to get out of here… just give me the word. And we'll figure out a way."

Her blue eyes flickered, and you thought for a second that she was going to cry. However, her expression actually grew more determined.

"In that case, yes, I do have all the intention to leave," she said firmly, but also quietly. "We need to head for the Angelgard Island next. The Fulgurian, Ramuh, resides there - and He has been expecting us."

You grinned, happy to hear that Luna was getting back some of the fighting spirits that you had seen back in Insomnia.

"Alright, then! I'll look around the base a bit tonight, see what's possible," you resumed. "We can discuss a plan of action tomorrow."

"That sounds wonderful," replied Luna, smiling. "I look forward to hearing from you tomorrow morning."

"Just doing my duty." You smiled back. "Oh, and one more thing."

"Yes?"

"Please finish your dinner. I'd like to not be distracted by your growling stomach when I try to explain my grand plan of escape."

She laughed. Her voice free and soft and tinkling like wind chimes. Her smile to you was warm and grateful. "Thank you, Leonis. I wouldn't have known what to do without you."

* * *

Your first order of action for the evening, right after dinner, was to try talking with Ravus.

He cared about Luna - that much you could tell. Keeping her safe was the entire reason he brought her to this base, and also why he wanted to take her to Tenebrae. There must be a way to reason with him to at least let her go to Angelgard Island.

It was a gamble, for sure. Once you had an audience with Ravus, you expected that the option of sneakily running away from the base would be more difficult. But you also knew that timing was key - if the talk with Ravus did turn sour, then you would have to flee with Luna this very night.

You made a turn and arrived at the door that you knew led to the office of Ravus. When you saw that the door was slightly ajar, you stopped abruptly. Upon closer inspection, you could hear voices coming from the other side. There were whispers, at first, then not long after, you started hearing moans.

Without much thinking, you pushed open the door, revealing Verrum pinned down by Ravus on the expensive wooden desk at the center of the room. Both of them had their shirts completely unbuttoned, and their eyes were similarly staring at your direction in surprise.

You said nothing and simply turned away, leaving the door ajar in your wake. The sound of your boots stomping against the floor was echoed by the hallway.

* * *

Minutes later, Verrum somehow managed to find you at one of the balconies overlooking the Disc of Cauthess. She was wearing her clothes properly this time, although you did notice that one of her shirt's buttons was missing. You scoffed quietly and directed your gaze back to the colorful meteorite.

"I'm not entirely sure where to start, but-"

"No need to. It seems quite clear to me what happened," you cut her explanation. "You're sleeping with the enemy."

Verrum was quiet for a moment. Then, the next moment saw her forcibly turning you and grabbing at your collar with both of her hands.

"Out of everyone in this world, I wouldn't have expected you to give me such disgusting, sexist bullshit, Leonis," she hissed. Her grey eyes were lit up with anger. "But I guess it's in the nature of people to be disappointed."

"That is rich, coming from a mercenary like you," you replied coolly.

"It is, isn't it? I wouldn't know. I didn't grow up in the shadow of the Immortal Marshal - being provided with all necessities as long as you follow orders like a bitch you are!"

She let go of your collar and gave you a bit of a shove. You didn't retaliate, instead holding your gaze steady on Verrum's.

"Someone like you wouldn't understand how it feels like to grow up on the street, being betrayed over and over again by the very people who you thought you could trust. To have to fight for your survival every chance you get," she continued. "Your loyalty-without-question is a fucking privilege, you know that? Look what happened to your dear _hero_."

At the mention of Nyx's nickname, you almost bristled. But you managed to stand your guard and pushed back, "Fulfilling your duty with a clear conscience is not the same as pledging loyalty without question. Just ask your dear Deputy High Commander."

"It's _High Commander_, please and thank you. Glauca burned down together with Insomnia, thank the gods."

"So one dog replaced by another, I see."

Verrum closed her eyes and then threw both her arms up in the air in clear frustration. "Argh! You are just so impossible to talk to," she complained before looking back at you with a sigh.

"Think whatever you want of me," Verrum continued, this time with defeat in her tone. "But don't make an enemy out of Ravus, I beg of you."

You stared at her, unblinking. "I'm not afraid of his army."

"I know you're not, but that's not my point. Both you and Ravus have the same goal. It makes things easier for the both of you to start accepting that and work together," she explained while crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Just… think about it. Alright?"

You said nothing, and Verrum took it as a chance to turn around and leave you on the balcony. The sound of her silver armor clinking against her movement was heard by you for a moment longer until her figure disappeared in the hallway.

* * *

The next morning, you had your breakfast with Lunafreya in a rather gloomy mood. After the talk with Verrum on the balcony, you had been too distracted to notice any weak spots in the base, so you had not come up with any plan for escape yet.

"I'm sorry," you told Luna honestly. "I wasn't in my… best condition last night, to be very honest."

"That is fine, Leonis. We can try it again."

She held onto your hand and looked at you with determination reflecting on her wide blue eyes. You couldn't help but smile.

"Yes, of course."

You were about to go back to eating your porridge when a shadow of a figure fell on your tray. When you looked up, you saw that Tonnaer - the young Imperial trooper - was standing next to your table at attention.

"Miss Leonis, Miss Stella, your presence is requested in the office of the High Commander," he reported.

You glanced briefly at Luna before turning back to the young soldier.

"Alright. Thank you for the message, Tonnaer."

Tonnaer made a salute and then turned around, leaving you exchanging confused look with Luna over the canteen table.

"Stella, huh?" you asked while arching an eyebrow. "I wonder where that comes from."

Luna let out a very gentle, feminine cough. "I do not think Ravus will be happy if I tell you."

"Oh? Something scandalous from the former Tenebraen royal family?"

"It is nothing of the sort," said Luna, laughing. "Oh, fine. I will tell you. When we were 4 and 8 years old, Ravus had a bright idea of staging a play for our mother's birthday..."

"And you played a character named Stella?"

"No, I did not play a character named Stella."

"... Oh."

You caught the meaningful look from Luna and stopped asking any more questions - instead busying yourself with finishing your tea.

* * *

When you arrived at the High Commander's office with Luna, he was sitting at his desk, seemingly engrossed in reading some documents. In the meantime, Verrum was standing by on one corner of the room. Her grey eyes followed you and Luna as you both entered the room and presented yourselves.

"You asked for our audience, Ravus?" asked Luna, taking a step forward to stand closer to her brother.

Ravus let out a sigh and directed his mismatched eyes wearily at Luna.

"Yes. I would like to let you know, my dear sister, that I'm giving you and your Shield full control of the dropship that I had originally requested to bring you back to Tenebrae," he said. "You are free to use it to go anywhere in Eos you please."

You widened your eyes in surprise. In the time that it took for you to glance aside and notice Verrum's satisfied smirk, Luna had sprinted ahead to hug her brother in apparent and audible gratitude.

"Thank you most greatly, Ravus," she muttered - the acoustics of the room made it possible for you to capture the words. Probably similar to how you could also overhear the noises that Ravus and Verrum made last night.

"There is no need to thank me, Luna. I am still your brother." A small smile formed in a corner of Ravus's lips as he returned his sister's embrace with his healthy arm. "I fear… less for your safety now, after being informed of the capabilities of your Shield."

You noticed Ravus's blue-and-violet eyes stare directly at you the moment he pulled away from Luna's hug. "I take it that after visiting the Fulgurian, your next destination is Altissia - home of Leviathan?"

You almost denied everything about Altissia up until Ravus mentioned that Leviathan - the Astral presiding over the sea - lived there. For a fraction of a second, you thought the High Commander had figured out that King Regis' last wishes were for his son and the Oracle to be reunited in the Accordon capital.

You threw a glance at Luna, who nodded, before turning your full attention back to Ravus. "That is indeed the plan, sir."

"Very well. I shall contact my acquaintance in Altissia to arrange accommodation. I will be waiting for you there." He then waved his healthy hand - a silent indication normally used by aristocrats to let you know that you were dismissed.

"Certainly, sir," you replied with a totally unironic salute this time around. "Thank you for your generosity."

You left the office not long afterwards with Verrum, so both Ravus and Luna could have some private moments together to say goodbye. At one point, Verrum gestured for you to follow her to a side room. Once you stepped inside, she handed you the rucksack that you had left behind at the camp, complete with your Glaive jacket and curved dagger.

"I thought you might need them on your journey ahead," she explained while you accepted the items. "I sent MTs to retrieve them from the haven. They may have missed some items, though. As for the gun - sorry to say, but we're taking that one back."

"Wow. Thanks a lot. It is a big help already - regardless if some stuff are missing." You grinned at her after sheathing your dagger and putting on the rucksack properly on your back. "And thank you too for recommending me to Ravus."

"Don't be. It was... a pleasure for me too."

"... Okay, now that's _way_ too much information..."

Verrum grinned back at you. "Are you sure you don't want to be a full mercenary? You'll get hassled less by the Imperial troops while travelling with the Oracle."

You paused for a bit, stared at the jacket in your hand, and then shrugged. "Eh, I will think about it."

"Good. Give me a call if you ever decide that you do want to be one - I might be able to give some referrals."

The ex-Glaive then gestured with her head for you to follow her out of the room. "Come on, I'll show you where the hangar is."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I dream that Luna and Ravus have 4 years age difference? Or is that actually canon?
> 
> Let me know in the comment or via [Tumblr](https://rolerei.tumblr.com).


	9. The Island That Forever Storms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a long delay, you and Luna finally made it to Angelgard Island - home to Ramuh the Fulgurian. However, it turned out the Astral was not the only one that had been expecting your arrival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing really to warn here, just Ardyn being his trash Jesus self and another moment of Nyx-related angstiness.
> 
> Also thank you for the new kudos and bookmarks! As usual, if you like this particular chapter, feel free to leave a ❤ in the comment or reach me on my [Tumblr](https://rolerei.tumblr.com).

Both you and Luna departed for Angelgard Island the very next day. The entire trip took a mere couple of hours - a feat that you wouldn't have achieved if you had followed up with the plan of riding chocobos all the way to Galdin Quay and taking a boat there. When you got out of the dropship, the first thing that greeted you was the smell of salt in the air, followed with small droplets of water that hit your nose and eyelashes. You put up the hood of your Glaive uniform reflexively in response to the latter.

"The island that forever storms," you recited out loud the description of the island from one of the books that you read in your childhood. "Did you know that in Lucis, we tell children that if they don't behave, they will be kidnapped by daemons to Angelgard Island?"

"I didn't know that. How fascinating."

From behind you, Lunafreya's presence made itself known with the sounds of high heels hitting against the steel floor. The Oracle was wearing her formal white dress - courtesy to her brother's insistence that she shouldn't "appear like a disoriented peasant in front of a god" - all the while carrying the very same javelin that you had purchased from the prairie outpost in Leide.

"The Accursed used to be imprisoned in this island," she said once she caught up to you. "It is a sacred place where the powers of Eos are concentrated. The Astrals made use of that to keep him restrained."

You hummed. "Doesn't seem like the restrain works very well, then, since he's now running the world freely as Niflheim's Chancellor."

You watched Luna make an unladylike shrug. "It appeared to work perfectly well for the first 2000 years, at the very least."

"_2000 years_?"

You couldn't help but wonder what such long imprisonment could do to someone's psyche. At least that partly explained why the Chancellor seemed a bit… off, the last couple of times you encountered him.

Compared to the Disc of Cauthess, the terrain of Angelgard was much more forgiving. There were actual stairs that led up to an altar surrounded by unlit torches, which was passable even with Luna's impractical dress and shoes. The altar itself faced a formation of jutting rocks which were decorated with holy runes. When Luna approached the rocks, those runes began to emit a soft golden glow.

Then, all of a sudden, the wind changed direction. You initially thought that it was caused by an Astral making an appearance - until you spotted an enormous beak thrusting down from the sky, directly towards Luna.

Without a delay, you pushed Luna down behind your back and raised an open hand up to the sky. A transparent magical Wall formed a half-globe above you and the Oracle, blocking the incoming assault just in time. When your assailant pulled back, it was accompanied with a loud screech and a heavy flap of gem-colored wings. As the lightning cracked down across the cloudy sky, you saw it being reflected by the jet black tendrils covering half of your enemy's feathery limbs.

"A half-daemon." You gritted your teeth. "What is it doing here?"

The creature let out an ear-shattering shriek midair. You didn't wait for it to strike down a second time - instead, you withdrew your dagger and tossed it into a small spin that reached above your head. When the hilt fell to the level of your hips, you swung your leg to kick it, sending the dagger much higher in the air - and closer to the half-daemon - than you could possibly do with only your arm.

Shortly before the blade hit home, you reappeared from a warp and extended the thrust of your weapon into a slash. More shriek echoed around the island. The half-daemon whipped its tail at your direction and you barely could block it with a raised arm.

Soon enough, you felt gravity began to tug at the center of your weight. Your body moved almost automatically, throwing your dagger up high and sending you warping to the air above your enemy's head. You reappeared with both hands gripping your dagger's hilt, yelling as you struck the weapon down on the enemy with all of your strength. Blood and black ooze spewed out from torn wing - some of them were caught on your hands, face, and clothes.

The creature screamed in pain and began its rapid descent down to the ground. Midway through, however, one of its claws managed to grab you by the ankle and tossed you down. You gasped sharply and was only barely able to warp to soften your fall against the rocky ground.

A curse escaped your lips as you scrambled up to stand. The half-daemon still managed to stay airborne, even with a damaged wing. If only you could cast a lightning bolt… The creature shrieked again before diving down. You readied your dagger but was effectively held back when Luna placed a hand on your shoulder and stepped forward.

"Bless the star of power and strength…," you heard her mutter before stabbing the javelin with both of her hands on the rocky ground. A bright golden pillar suddenly struck down from the heavens and right onto the half-daemon. Its last shriek was loud and long as its form gradually dissipated into a mass of black particles that floated up into the sky.

You remained standing on your stance for several moments. To say that you were merely surprised would be an understatement. In your entire life, never once had you ever thought that the Oracle could use her magic for any other purpose than healing. Yet there she stood before you, with her floor-length white dress and javelin, having annihilated a half-daemon. Strong and delicate at the same time.

You were barely recovering from the adrenaline high when a sliver of red came into your peripheral view. Reaching out to capture the object, you realized that it was a piece of rectangular fabric. A scarf, perhaps, made partly of either silk or satin. Upon paying a closer look at the pattern printed on the cloth, you realized that you had seen it at least once before.

"It's Chancellor Izunia's scarf," you declared. "The half-daemon must have been sent by him..."

"How kind of him, sending us a welcoming committee," remarked Luna coolly.

"Yeah. We probably should gift him something back," you said, tightening your grip on the scarf. "A punch in the face, maybe?"

"Now, now. Let us not be discourteous. I am sure there exists a better gift."

"Oh, don't worry about it. I can be quite creative when I need to."

"I am quite sure you have such capability, my dear Shield."

You fixed your eyes on Luna and saw her smiling - almost smirking, really - with a mischievous glint in her ocean-blue eyes. You grinned back before sheathing your dagger. The not-so-silky scarf of the Imperial Chancellor you stuffed haphazardly into one of your pockets.

In the meantime, Luna straightened up and looked straight at the rune-cloaked rock at the end of the altar. After a moment, it began to emit soft, pulsating light.

"Hear me, O, Ramuh the Fulgurian," Luna said clearly and loudly. "I am your Oracle and I have come to request a covenant with you."

Suddenly the rain stopped, and thunder started to strike down all over the island. The biggest thunderbolt of all had a tint of violet in it, and it struck directly on the rune-sealed rocks. When it disappeared, a gigantic man-like figure with a long, white beard appeared and began speaking in yet another language that you couldn't comprehend. Luna curtsied and stretched a hand out to the god appearing before her.

"Please, grant your Revelation to our King of Light, O, Stormsender. Guide him on his journey to rid our star of its blight."

Ramuh, the Fulgurian, spoke back and reached his enormous index finger down to Luna's outstretched hand. Both she and the Astral glowed with golden light that shot up to the sky - just like with the Archaean - while the torches surrounding the altar lit up as well. When the light faded, the Stormsender was nowhere to be found.

At the same time, you saw Luna's form grew limp. Her javelin fell on the stone floor with a clatter, and you rushed forward to catch her before her body touched the ground. She was shivering ever so slightly. You wrapped one arm around her and lifted one hand to cup at her cheek. Her skin felt cold and damp - maybe from the rain, cold sweat, or tears.

"Luna?" you called out softly. "How are you feeling?"

"Exhausted," she breathed. The two blue pools that were her eyes were closed shut as she nuzzled closer to your collarbone.

"Do you want me to carry you back to the dropship?"

Luna said nothing at first, but then reluctantly nodded. You responded by slipping your arms behind her back and under her knees to lift her up, right after picking up her fallen javelin. She reflexively wounded her arms around your shoulders to hold on.

You walked down the stairs of the altar and back to the dropship in silence, with Luna in your arms. Her breaths were soft and warm and so very close to the skin of your neck. Without meaning to, you found yourself gulping.

As you tried to keep your eyes straight ahead, gallons upon gallons of water suddenly fell upon you. Cursing, you broke into a run, with Luna still in your arms.

* * *

"Whoa… it really is pouring now," you commented upon looking out of the window of the only cabin in the dropship. “We should wait until the rain lets up before we go.”

When you turned around, you saw Luna sitting by the edge of the bunk bed. Her hair and shoulders were damp and her eyes were closed shut. The rain had soaked into the upper part of her dress, causing the fabric to stick even more to her soft curves like a second skin. You tried not to let your gaze linger too long than was appropriate, so you headed for the bathroom to look for a towel. You ended up finding several of them in a cabinet under the sink, along with some toiletries. As dismissive as he was, Ravus turned out to be quite considerate when it comes to his sister.

When you came back from the bathroom, you saw that both Pryna and Umbra were already sitting around Luna's feet by the bed. The Oracle herself had a red leather-bound notebook open on her lap.

"A message from the King?" you asked rhetorically. "And here I thought we were already past the pen-pal phase."

Luna looked up to smile at you apologetically. Her understanding of your jokes was getting better, but she was not _ really _ there yet, it would seem.

"We were at an Imperial base this past week, so-"

"Yeah, yeah. Keep your excuses to yourself, Highness," you cut her intermittently, all the while handing her the towel. "Do you mind if I use the shower first, by any chance? I think I smell too much like a daemon…"

Luna shook her head. "Go on ahead, Leonis."

"Alright. I'll be quick."

* * *

Once you were done showering, you sat by the ship’s helm inspecting the Chancellor’s red scarf. The patterns on the fabric seemed harmless enough. Not some magical runes that were imbued with spying spells as you had fleetingly suspected. When you waved the fabric from one of its corners, you noticed that it glided through the air gracefully. Almost like how the ribbons that were attached to Nyx’s uniform would have trailed behind him during a warp.

Except Nyx’s ribbons weren’t red. They were… what color were they again?

You came up with a blank - and you froze any movement immediately. Could it be that the Chancellor had taken away that part of your memory?

In a rush of panic, you reached for your phone, only to realize that you had never taken a picture of Nyx before. The regret that you felt following the realization was crushing. All those years that you spent fighting on the frontline with him... how did it never occur to you to snap a quick picture of him?

Of course, in all those years, you never had an ounce of thought that someone like you - a social black sheep of the Kingsglaive - would ever be romantically involved with the Galahdian hero of the war. But still...

After a moment’s thought, you decided to navigate to your call logs and call the first number on the list. The dial tone did not last very long this time.

"Yeah?" was the first thing that your uncle said from the other end.

"Uncle, it's me," you replied, quietly hoping that your uncle couldn't hear your heaving breath or the loud thumping of your heart over the phone. "Just... want to call to let you know that we're still alive."

"That is good to know."

You thought you heard the gratitude in his voice, but it was very subtle. Your uncle was rarely one that openly showed his gentler side. So when you detected even the slightest sign of it, you couldn't help but feel warm inside. That calmed your erratic heart somewhat.

“Is there anything else that you want to say?”

“Um… yeah, actually.” Subconsciously, you licked at your lips. You weren't sure if you should say anything more, especially about the things that were bothering you the most at that moment. At least not over the phone line. "Do you also happen to know if... we can meet? It… doesn't have to be today, but..."

There was an audible inhaling and exhaling from the other side. "It could be risky," he finally answered. "I don't think we should."

"Okay," you answered obediently, but secretly, you felt disappointed at his answer. You had started to miss your uncle, miss speaking to him more freely like a member of your family instead of a superior. But the fall of Insomnia had changed all of that.

"... Hey, Uncle?"

"Yes?"

"I just want to say… I'm sorry, for failing you and everyone… back in Insomnia."

There it was. You finally said it. The burden of the city's fall was just too much for you to bear for much longer.

There was an outstretched silence from the other end of the call, which you waited for with bated breath. It eventually ended with his voice saying, "It's not your fault. Don't beat yourself up too much about it."

You felt the back of your eyes turned warm. "Okay," you breathed. The sound that you made was inevitably shaky. "Thank you, Uncle."

"You're welcome, little niece," he replied. "Be strong, okay?"

You nodded, not realizing that there was no way your uncle could see your gesture. The phone call was terminated not long after, and you wiped off your tears with the sleeve of your uniform jacket.

* * *

The sun was already setting by the time the rain let up and allowed you to depart. At the same time, Luna emerged from the cabin, freshly showered, and joined you at the helm. Just as you steered the dropship towards the Cygillan Seas, however, she suggested that you made a detour to Lestallum.

You gave her an incredulous look in response. "What for? I thought we were supposed to head for Altissia."

"Yes, but your mother is residing in Lestallum, isn't she?" the Oracle asked back. "Don't you want to bid her goodbye before departing the country?"

It didn't really occur to you then that you were indeed heading out of Lucis. Considering the Imperial occupation, it would probably take some time before you could come back. So Luna's argument for saying goodbye to your mother actually made sense.

Not like you were jumping up and down in excitement for the occasion, but...

You let out a resigned huff in the end. "Fine. We can go to Lestallum. We can resupply for things that we lost at the Disc there."

"Marvelous." Luna smiled at you warmly before being reduced to a big yawn. "I shall rest a bit for now... Would you kindly wake me up when we arrive?"

You raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't it be more comfortable for you to sleep in the cabin instead?"

Luna hummed quietly before reaching out to your free hand that was not holding the wheel. Her voice trailed off as she was gradually falling asleep, "I have a feeling you would appreciate the company."

"Huh. Is that so?"

You wondered just how much did Luna overhear from your phone conversation with your uncle. Nevertheless, you couldn't deny that it did feel nice to have her soft, scarless fingers entwined with yours as you piloted the dropship across the darkening sky of Lucis. A little less like you were a single rock hurtling through the cold, dark, infinite space - alone and aimless.


	10. City of Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Luna arrived in Lestallum, only to end up in the most awkward dinner with your mother - who happens to be the source of a lot of your anxieties growing up. But the end of the dinner took a different turn that you didn't quite expect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song suggestion: [City of Stars](https://youtu.be/GTWqwSNQCcg) from La La Land.
> 
> This chapter turned out to be... rather more personal than I had expected. And much more introspective than I'm used to.
> 
> I hope it is still as enjoyable to read as the more action-oriented and ship-related chapters in this work.

You reached Lestallum in the early morning, shortly after the sunrise. The dropship was parked some distance away from the city, hidden among the hills, and it only took a little convincing for Luna to wear her hunter outfit once again - not only as a disguise but also so she could trek down the muddy, forested path towards the city with you. Pryna followed both of you close, quietly and silently.

"We better find a place to stay first and then shop around for some supply," you suggested as soon as the city skyline drew close.

"And what of your mother? When shall we meet her?"

You rolled your eyes at Luna. "That's your real goal all along? To meet my mother?"

The Oracle simply stared at you with innocent-looking, wide-blue eyes. "Surely I am allowed to feel curious about my Shield's family?"

You let out a huff, smirked, and shook your head. "My mother is not… the easiest person to talk to," you replied. "Don't tell me I didn't warn you."

"I shall be on my best behavior."

Upon entering Lestallum, you followed the road signs for a hotel and ended up at Leville Hotel. The room that you got was spacious, but the interior was slightly outdated. Regardless, it was still an upgrade from the tent and caravan that you and Luna had been staying in.

As Luna was showering, you decided that it might be a good idea to first call your mother. The first call went on for a while before it got redirected to the mailbox. The same thing happened with the second call. You paused for a moment, took a deep breath in and out, then called again for the third time. To your relief, it was finally picked up.

"Hey, Mom. It's me," you said out loud, knowing that your mother wouldn't say hello first. "How are you? I'm currently in Lestallum now, with a friend. And I thought of dropping by. I was wondering if… you would be okay with that?"

"You didn't tell me that you were heading for Lestallum," was your mother's reply. "You didn't even tell me you got out of Insomnia at all. What do you think I should feel about this?"

You inhaled yet another puff of air. "Sorry about that... work got kind of in the way."

A scoff was audible from the other end. "Of course. The Kingdom is always more important than your own mother, isn't it?"

You were tempted to say out loud your agreement, just out of spite. But you held yourself back. "When did you arrive in town?" you asked instead.

"Five, six days ago, I think? A former colleague is hosting me at her summer house. She's working for EXINERIS now - the powerplant company," she started. "You have to give compliments to all the ladies working there. Look how successful and well paid they are! Much better work-life balance than women in the military, I would dare say."

"I can only imagine." You smiled mechanically to the phone in your hand, somehow remembering a random trivia that whether you were smiling or not could be felt by the other person during a phone conversation.

"So what time shall my friend and I come by?"

"Let's see… Why don't you and your friend join in for dinner? Say, at 7 PM?"

"Sure. Shall we bring anything?"

"Only your hungry stomachs."

"Great. Text me the address?"

"How old do you think I am? Go grab a pen and paper."

You did - with a quiet curse under your breath. Your mother said her address out loud just as you got a pen and paper ready, so you had to scrawl it in a hurry.

"Okay, noted. See you in a few hours!" you said before ending the call and throwing yourself down on the bed. After a moment of staring up aimlessly at the ceiling, you closed your eyes and let out a sigh.

It's gonna be a long evening, you couldn't help but think.

* * *

Despite her barbed words, your mother was one big source of anxiety that you could tidily put in a box and place aside in the vast storage that was your mind. It was so easy to compartmentalize because you had a lot of practice over the years since you were still a kid. And it helped that you were on the frontline so often this past decade - people who worried about their mothers there usually didn't have a very high chance of survival.

So you set worries aside, and shifted your focus to your less overwhelming worry: namely, the Oracle of Eos. Her apathy and loss appetite in the Duscae base was quite unnerving, and you wondered whether your departure actually made any change. So you were pleasantly surprised when, after the shower, she came up to you and asked when you were going out to the market to restock the supply.

And you also had to admit it was quite fun taking Luna out to shop in the market. Everything that she saw there caught her interest. Even the vegetables. When she came across a stall selling rather hefty Aegir roots, she stopped walking and stared at it with obvious awe.

"Leonis, would you come here and see: this vegetable must weigh as much as some toddlers," she commented.

You raised your eyebrows and threw an apologetic smile at the stall owner before quietly and subtly dragging the Oracle away by her shoulders.

"Well, it’s nice to see you being so… cheerful again," you remarked while walking next to Luna, half-hoping that the conversation would distract her from making odd comments on various fresh produce.

Luna replied with a chuckle. Short, but lively. "It would all be impossible without you," she smiled and took a closer look at you. "And how about you, my dear Shield? How have you been doing - aside from being embarrassed by my unusual remarks about vegetables?"

You chuckled as well, then let out a sigh as you got reminded of what had transpired last night.

"I’m… kind of wondering when memories lost to the Scourge usually return, actually," you answered rather absently.

"Oh."

Luna lowered her ocean-blue eyes to the ground. "... Not many people can say, unfortunately. For most people that got infected with the Scourge, their memories return from a couple of days to a week after their recovery."

"... But some people never recover the memories," you added, partly hoping that Luna would correct you. But she didn’t. You inhaled deeply, then exhaled again.

Suddenly, you felt her fingers reach out to your own hand. You looked down at first, entranced by how her soft, unmarred fingers were entwined with your calloused and scarred ones. Then your gaze trailed up and found her pools of ocean blue looking back at you sympathetically.

"I know it may not be my place to say this, but... maybe there is a saving grace to your lost memories, after all?" she suggested next. "Maybe... you will suffer less, with nothing to remind you of what you've lost."

You didn't immediately give a reply, instead resuming your slow walk along the market aisle. Both of you holding each other's hands absently.

"Maybe... although in my case, I get constantly reminded of what I used to remember." You turned to flash a small smile at the Oracle. "I think that's what has been making it difficult."

"Oh, Leonis..."

She gave your hand a slightly tighter squeeze, which you reciprocated equally. Neither of you spoke out loud afterwards. Just walking on and on until both of you found your ways back to the hotel.

* * *

The summer house where your mother was staying was located snugly on a hill overlooking Lestallum. It took you a while to get there from Leville, but in the end, you eventually managed to reach the place in time. Even the initial introduction of Luna as Stella went smoothly, and your mother barely raised an eyebrow at Pryna's presence around the dining room.

So far, the evening had started out pretty darn well. At least for the standards that you had set up for your mother.

Then, around one hour into dinner, you were scooping some sauteed gyshal greens to your plate when your mother suddenly announced, "I know for a long time that my daughter will eventually end up with a woman. That's why I have given all hope of having a grandchild."

You threw a flat glare at your mother from across the dining table. "Stella and I are not dating," you clarified. It felt odd, using the codename that Ravus had come up with in this situation. But you tried to keep a straight face to prove your point to your mother.

"She is right, Mrs. Leonis," Luna chimed in as well, smiling her warmest smile. "We are merely... friends. Nothing more, nothing less."

On the other side of the table, your mother rolled her eyes. "Fine. You are friends, then. Eat your greens, ladies."

And the topic ended there, just like that. It was a typical occurrence with your mother - she would start up a topic and sometimes decide to end it abruptly. Often it happened when she tried to hide something or didn't feel comfortable enough to continue the conversation. It could get frustrating, but you learned to appreciate it when it was actually not frustrating - like now. So you simply shrugged and continued on eating your greens, as your mother had instructed you to.

Once dinner was over, you helped with clearing up the table and washing the dishes. Luna was out on the balcony, watching the dusk set on the city with Pryna. You were helping your mother folding up the tablecloth when you heard her mutter from seemingly out of the blue, "I'm sorry…"

You paused. "For what?"

"For being a bad mother." She wasn't even looking at your eyes when she replied, instead busying herself further with the tablecloth. "I was hardly there for you after your father died. I can imagine it must have… affected how you look at relationships."

You took a long breath in and out. It hadn't been your plan to suddenly have such serious, deep talk with your mother that evening.

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, after Cor got me out of Insomnia and sent me out on the back of a van to Lestallum, I got some time to do some… reflections, so to say."

You hummed. Before you could say anything, though, your mother continued, "He really does look a lot like your father. But the similarity ends there - your father wouldn't even kill a fly."

That made you dig deep into your childhood memories where your father was in, and you ended up with one where he caught you collecting flowers from the neighbor's front garden. He didn't scold you at the time - instead, he took you to a gardening shop to buy seeds and helped you to plant them in a pot which you then set by the window of your bedroom. He told you to let him know after the plant bloomed, how would you feel if someone else was about to pluck at the flowers without asking for your permission?

You set the dishes in the sink and watched as the streaming water washed away the remains of the sauces from dinner.

"Do you still miss him, Mom?"

Your question was muddled somewhat by the sound of running water.

"Always. All the time."

Your mother let out a sigh while picking up the sponge to soak in dishwashing liquid. She never trusted dishwasher and would prefer washing dishes by hand. "It is both a curse and a blessing."

"A blessing too, huh?" you echoed absently.

"Yes, because it reminds me that I was loved dearly and that I'm capable of loving someone else as deeply and strongly." She paused to peer at you. "Not everyone is capable of that, you know? Just look at your uncle."

You smiled wide without meaning to. "Yeah… he's married to his work."

"Yes. I let you grow up with him, and I'm afraid you are following him down the same path," resumed your mother. "It is not a wrong or right path. I just wish that… I could show you that there is also an alternative. That love can also be as precious and important as a duty."

Your smile dropped, then. For a moment afterwards, you two were silent. Only the sound of running water from the sink filled the entire kitchen.

At one point, you raised your hand to touch your mother's elbow, to get her attention.

"Thank you for telling me all this," you said. Your smile was returned in kind.

"Well, thank you for listening and accepting my apology."


	11. Moon River

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Luna took a walk around Lestallum and decided to try out the cable car. During the trip, she started asking you even more difficult questions about love and relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tag update: POV Bisexual Character.
> 
> Obviously, the chapter’s title is from a famous [song](https://youtu.be/1UjlTY97-SQ) \- specifically the version sung by Carla Bruni.
> 
> This is also a fix-it chapter because why oh why can't we get on the cable car in Lestallum, Square Enix??

_ "Two drifters off to see the world; there’s such a lot of world to see. _

_ We’re after the same rainbow’s end. _

_ Waiting ‘round the bend, my Huckleberry friend. _

_ Moon river - and me." _

Later in the evening, you found yourself walking side by side with Luna on the main street of Lestallum. Just like in Leide, no one recognized the Oracle here. The Empire's propaganda in combination with dressing up like a "disoriented peasant" - as Ravus had aptly put it - was doing wonders in allowing you both to blend in.

As if reading your mind, Luna suddenly remarked out loud, "It feels very… liberating, being able to walk around in the open like this."

"Yeah. It is nice, isn't it?" you agreed. "Have you seen Lestallum at night before?"

Luna shook her head, smiling. "I was never allowed to go outdoors after sunset. Even back in Tenebrae."

"Ah, yes, of course."

You then gestured at the cable cars that were cruising past above your head. "Never been on one of those either, I assume?"

Luna's reply came in the form of a shake of her head, which was immediately followed with a smile. "Are you happen to be thinking what I am thinking, my dear Shield?" she asked with a twinkle in her ocean-blue eyes.

You grinned back at her, but also shrugged. "Maybe?"

"Oh, pray stop with the suspense, you."

Before you could open your mouth to reply, Luna had circled her own slender arms around one of yours and half-dragged you towards the direction of the nearest cable car station. You chuckled and followed after her without resistance. As you almost approached the station, however, your little journey was halted when Luna suddenly bent down with her hands supporting her knees. All the while, long, loud string of coughs escaped her lungs.

Alarmed, you bent and ran a hand up and down the Oracle's back. "Hey, is everything okay?" you asked as soon as the coughs started to subside.

"Yes, I am fine," said Luna after straightening back up again. The smile that she gave you was both warm and tugging at a string in your heart. "It was just a dry throat. My apologies if I cause you any worry."

You looked at Luna, but as you debated whether to trust what she was saying, she was already moving ahead towards the ticket booth of the cable car. Hesitantly, you followed after her and purchased two tickets. Neither of you talked much as you walked up the stairs to the waiting area and watched for an incoming cable car in silence.

After the two of you had been seated in a moving cable car, it was Luna that broke the silence. "In all honesty, I have been wondering…," she said, before pausing in apparent hesitation. "Why is it that your mother made such a remark about you, during dinner?"

You blinked at her. In the dimness of the evening, decorated by the scattering lights of Lestallum below you, you weren't exactly sure if Luna was looking directly at you or to the scenery just outside the window.

"Which remark?"

"The one about… her not expecting a grandchild from you."

"Ah."

You subconsciously scratched at the back of your head. "It's largely because of my job, I guess."

Then, after a moment's pause, you added, "Also, my first relationship being with another woman might have something to do with that as well."

Luna widened her eyes, and for the first time, you realized that she really was looking unwaveringly at your direction the entire time. "Are you speaking the truth, Leonis?"

You shrugged. "Why would I lie about it?"

"... You're right." Luna looked down, then up again. "Would you… be open to tell me…?"

At first, you furrowed your eyebrows. But as soon as you remember that Luna had been a political prisoner for most of her adolescence and barely had experience in a romantic relationship, you relaxed into a chuckle.

"Um. Well, we met in the military academy," you started. "We were both cadets from the same year."

When Luna said nothing, you continued on, "We… ran into each other during a party arranged by fellow cadets. I caught her glance from across the room and couldn't get my eyes off of her.

"Eventually, she approached me and… we ended up dancing and talking the entire night, and… well."

You saw Luna leaned in eagerly from her seat. It both amused and embarrassed you at the same time, but you resumed regardless, "We kissed. It… didn't escalate into anything until much later. But, yeah."

"I see," she commented, once again casting her eyes down. "May I… know why you two ended the relationship?"

Luna's last question was quiet and soft. There was some hesitance there, and perhaps even embarrassment. But, at the same time, you also did feel a great deal of care and sympathy from her side. You let out a sigh before averting your gaze to the scenery beyond the window.

"We were both aiming to join Kingsglaive. But in the end, she couldn't make the cut," you started. "So she got posted somewhere else. It became increasingly difficult to get in touch from then on, especially since Glaives were often deployed to the frontline.

"Eventually, we just grew apart… every time we met, it felt more and more like we were talking with a different person, having a completely different life," you resumed. "So one day we both sat down together, and decided to end the relationship."

You looked at Luna's expression to try to decipher what she was thinking. The first thing you noticed was her eyebrows, which furrowed ever so slightly.

"I am sorry it had to end that way," she said next, which invited a small smile to form on your lips.

"Don't be. There are… worse ways it could have ended," you replied. "We actually parted on good terms, all things considered."

"Ah. That's good to hear," commented Luna next, sounding sincere in every way possible. "And… can I ask you another, more private question?"

"Is it about my first time with a man?"

In the dim lights of the cable car, you thought you could see Luna blush. You couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Yeah, well… it was not my proudest moment, to be honest… so I would rather not say much about it," you started again. "Basically I met him not long after I ended things with my ex-girlfriend. It… didn't last very long, mostly because of my own fault."

You were reminded of snowy nights in a hidden shelter somewhere in the Imperial continent, scrolling through messages on your phone that you never answered. At the time, you convinced yourself that the radio silence was necessary for the success of the covert mission that you were assigned to. However, looking back to it after a couple of years made you realize that it was not the case. There were several instances where you could have put in more effort to communicate without risking the mission - but you didn't. It was a choice that you had made, and you had learned to own it in its entirety.

From across your seat, Luna waited patiently until your attention returned to the present before she continued on, "And then… you didn't see anyone else until…"

You paused to inhale a puff of breath, then exhaled it again. "No… I mean, yeah. Nyx was the next person that I was seeing, after a long while."

"I see."

The Oracle turned her eyes to the window on her side, towards the glimmering scenery of Lestallum at night. You copied her, and the first thing you noticed was the colorful glow of the meteorite from a distance away in Duscae. You couldn't help but wonder if Ravus and Verrum were still staying at the Imperial base by the Disc of Cauthess, or if they were already moving towards Altissia ahead of you and Luna.

Thinking of Ravus and Verrum inevitably reminded you of the time you ran into them while they were making out on the Imperial High Commander's desk. You closed your eyes in an attempt to distract yourself from the memory. When you opened them again, you saw Luna staring intently at you and asking, "May I ask you… another very private question?"

You tilted your head to the side. You were reminded of Luna's declaration in front of your mother that you two were friends - and wondered what implications would follow from it. Never in your service did you ever think of - or get into - forming a friendship with either a superior or someone you were responsible for. So when you asked, "What is it?" back to Luna, it was with a careful and almost wary tone.

Luna seemed to sense that and took a moment to pause and clear her throat. You couldn't help but notice that even her act of clearing her throat was subtle and gentle-sounding, like how you would imagine a queen would.

"... How does it feel like to kiss someone?"

You didn't answer for a moment. Despite having steeled yourself for any kind of question, this question was not part of that.

In the end, you let out a hum, looked up at the ceiling of the cable car, and answered her with, "It's... a bit hard to describe."

In your peripheral view, you saw Luna tilting her head. "How is it difficult to describe?"

You thought of the kiss you shared with Nyx after he put on the Ring of Lucii. Then you tried to remember your first kiss with him - and came up empty. The Chancellor must have taken the memory with him when he infected you with the Scourge. You closed your eyes and tried your best not to let the warmth that was growing behind them to escape out of your eyelids.

"It can be… very different," you eventually answered.

"Is it because… you have kissed both men and women before?"

"No, not just with different people. Sometimes a kiss with the same person can be very different, too, on a different occasion."

"Ah."

You looked back to where Luna was sitting and found out that the Oracle was looking down at her fiddling fingers on her lap. The conversation seemed to be more nerve-wracking for her than it was for you.

"... I wouldn't have known even the slightest about it," she said, smiling the kind of smile that made a little part of your heart to throb with sympathy. "I only... ever read about it in… novels and poems… so…"

In an attempt to lighten up the mood, you made a small shrug.

"Well, if you really are that curious, I can always give you a demonstration."

"... Yes, actually. I would very much like that."

This time, it was your turn to widen your eyes. Luna's attention was on you, but she wasn't looking directly into your eyes. Her usual big blues were half-cast and she looked at you through the tresses of her long, blonde eyelashes. A little blush tinged her cheeks while her slim, smooth hands were tangled tensely on her lap.

Before you could realize fully what you were doing, you had reached a hand out to hers. She jolted a little but quickly relaxed to your touch. You moved closer, eventually finding yourself kneeling in the space between your seats in the cable car. Another car passed by from the opposite direction when you placed your other hand gently on her cheek, just beyond the soft blonde tresses that framed her heart-shaped face.

"Are you sure about this, Luna?" you asked. The beating of your heart was noticeable behind your ears.

She nodded, firmly and without hesitation. You lifted your hand further to remove the cap that she was wearing, placed it on the seat next to her, and then leaned in to close the distance between you. You made sure that you tilted your head so your noses wouldn't bump into each other.

The kiss was chaste, at first. You heard her inhaled audibly, the muscles of her neck tensed under your fingers, the moment your lips touched. Then you gave her another tentative peck and watched with amazement as her ocean-blue eyes fluttered to a close. Her hand went up next, trailing along the outside of your upper arm before settling on your shoulder. You closed your eyes and gently, gently pried open her mouth, then slipped your tongue out to lightly trace along her soft upper lip. She tasted sweet, like the cake that you both had for dessert. Immediately, you were rewarded with a gasp and a low moan.

Not long after, Luna began to return your small gestures. First kissing back at your lips, then tangling her own fingers into your hair. Her tongue followed a little later, shyly tracing at your lips before meeting yours. Her movements grew more courageous, and the distance between your bodies closed off more until it became virtually non-existent, with each little gasp and sound that escaped between the two of you.

Eventually, the cable car made a slow descent, a telltale sign that you were about to reach your destination station. You pulled back slowly, ultimately ending the kiss by settling your forehead against Luna's. A gentle floral scent emanated from her skin and hair - it was sylleblossom's, you later realized - and you tried your best to inhale as much of it while you still could.

"Is this how first kisses are like?" Her question finally broke the silence, although her own fingers remained firmly on your scalp and the back of your neck.

"Sometimes. Not always," you muttered a reply. "This one was a good one, though."

"Is that so?"

"Mhm."

"That is good to hear."

Luna planted a soft kiss on an edge of your lips before her ocean-blue eyes lingered on you for a moment. You tried to say something, but no word escaped your mouth up until the door of the cable car opened with a pneumatic hiss. Both of you gradually disentangled yourselves from each other and gathered your things before making your way out of the station. The night breeze from the Cleignian hills caressed at your face and hair while the warm skin on the back of Luna’s hand barely touched yours, all the way through your walk back to the hotel.


	12. Presages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the way back to the hotel, you and Luna tried to process what just happened - and ended up tangled in bed.
> 
> The next day, you departed for Altissia, and the scene that greeted you upon landing somehow felt _very_ familiar...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags update: Cunnilingus.
> 
> Did I just intentionally throw people off by introducing Gladio and his heart-stopping charms early in this work, while slowly and gradually revealing that this is actually meant to be Luna x Reader fic after all?
> 
> Maybe.
> 
> <strike>i'msorrypleasedon'tkillme.</strike>

Neither you nor Luna spoke a word in the entire journey from the cable car station to the hotel. Internally, however, you were trying to process everything that just transpired. And you highly suspected that Luna was also doing the same thing as well. Eventually, Leville Hotel was visible in your field of vision and before long, you were turning the key to open the door to the hotel room that you were sharing together with the Oracle.

You held your breath upon swinging the door open. The fact that you had to share the same bed with Luna didn't cause you a wave of anxiety earlier this afternoon, when you just arrived in Lestallum. After all, you two had spent nights together in the same tent before. However, the sight of the Queen size bed in the middle of the spacious, but outdated hotel room gave you an entirely different feeling after the kiss in the cable car.

After taking a moment to ready yourself, you turned around, initially wanting to say something to Luna. However, before you managed to utter a single syllable, the Oracle herself had taken two steps forward to close the distance between you, slipped her smooth, unmarred fingers through the strands of your hair, tilted her perfectly sculpted head - and pulled you into a kiss. 

In your head, you could see each of Luna's movements as if they were in a slow motion. The sylleblossom scent that enveloped your senses was not helping make your mind any clearer. Tentatively, you placed a hand on the small of her back, all the while taking care to close the door behind you. But when Luna's slim fingers somehow found their way to cup at your right breast, all logic and caution suddenly went out of the window.

Suddenly, all that you could think about was the warmth of your body pressing down against hers on the mattress, and the plumpness of her lips that were brushing against yours. You had even forgotten when exactly had she discarded her cap and shoes. At one point, your tongue slipped into her mouth and she let out a small moan. A shiver ran down your spine while her hands clung ever tighter to your neck and shoulders.

Then your hands reached up and grasped at hers, gently prying them away and pressing them down on the bed. Your lips pulled away shortly after, leaving her sighing from parted, flush lips. Her wide blue eyes opened and looked up to you with a mixture of want and confusion.

"If there is anything that you don't like, tell me," you told her. "We can always stop. Okay?"

Luna smiled the sweetest smile and nodded in reply. You leaned back down and she closed her eyes, expecting another kiss. But you went to her jaw instead, peppering kisses down the slope of her white neck and along the crease of her collarbone. All the while, your hands worked to peel off every layer of fabric that got in between the both of you.

Everything about Luna was soft and gentle. There was barely a blemish on her fair skin - which was a world's difference from Nyx's crisscrossing battle scars. While he was all taut muscles and calluses, she was all pliant and soft curves. _ Untouched,_ you couldn't help but think dizzily before leaning back in, gently placing your lips and tongue against her rosy folds.

The soft sighs and moans that she made then - and many more that she made throughout the night - were like angels' chorus to your ears.

* * *

The next morning came around, and you found yourself awake on your side of the bed while Luna was still fast asleep on the other side. Her smooth, naked back was facing your direction.

It was tempting to scoot over and curl along the soft and warm curves that were lying just centimeters away from you. But you managed to resist the allure, in the end. It felt… wrong of you to show intimacy now before you had the time to sit down and discuss what had happened with Luna - and what it all entailed.

The moment you finally mustered the will to leave the bed, you headed straight to the bathroom. As you were getting ready, you were reminded that you still needed to check out the market for some more supplies before leaving town. So you quietly slipped through the dark room towards the bedroom door, trying your best not to wake Luna up. Upon exiting the hotel, you heard the pitter-patter of paws hitting the pavement and turned to find Pryna. A chuckle escaped you before you bent down to give pats in between her ears.

"You left us just before things got awkward, huh?" you told the spirit-dog, and was immediately replied with a woof. Before long, she dashed ahead of you towards the direction of the market - as if knowing already where you were planning to go. You shook your head and began to pace slowly after the Messenger.

The market of Lestallum was lively, but not too crowded, so it allowed you to catch up to Pryna without further losing her tracks. You browsed through the stalls while making a mental list of items that you should go back to. Then you ran into a particular stall which was selling flowers, and you stopped in your tracks.

Your first instinct was to look for sylleblossoms. They were not on sale, of course - the flowers were native to Tenebrae and the fresh ones were notoriously expensive. It would be odd to see them being sold in a regular market stall. The next flowers that caught your attention were of similar shape to sylleblossoms, with bright and variously vibrant colors. But on closer inspection, each stem actually consisted of many small lily-like flowers.

You picked the last bouquet in the bucket, curious how the flowers smell. As you picked it up, another smaller hand also reached to the bucket but was not quick enough.

"Ah! The sword lilies!" announced the owner of the hand next.

You looked past the bouquet and found a boy hanging his head dejectedly by the empty flower bucket. Vaguely, you heard him murmured, "Miss Iris will be _ so _ disappointed…"

"Um…," you started, suddenly feeling bad. "I'm not actually buying the bouquet. You can have it."

"Really?"

The boy's face shot up at you. There was excitement twinkling in his eyes that almost looked like Luna's. "Are you sure I can have it?" he asked - and you couldn't not notice how polite he was being.

"Yes, definitely." You nodded. "I can even buy it for you if you want."

The boy's smile disappeared into a frown. "... No, that won't do. Grandpa will not like it if we pass on people's gifts as our own. It is unsightly."

You blinked at the boy's choice of words. "Well, alright, then," you said, handing the bouquet of sword lilies to the boy. "Your grandpa is quite posh, huh?"

"Posh?" He tilted his head at you after accepting the bouquet. "I don't know if he is, but he worked as the head butler of House Amicitia in Insomnia."

"House Amicitia? The family of the King's Shield?"

"Mhm."

The name reminded you of the grisly scene that you saw back in Citadel's Council hall. King Regis' Shield, Clarus Amicitia, was one of the more... unfortunate victims. You grimaced and bent down with both arms on your knees to calm the nauseous feeling that started emerging in your stomach.

Of all memories that Ardyn could have taken...

"Are you okay, Miss?" the boy asked next. The sincere worry in his voice invited you to smile.

"I'm fine… just a bit tired," you replied before straightening back up. "Well, enjoy the sword lilies. I hope whoever you are gifting it to will appreciate it."

That was enough to make the boy beam. "Thank you very much, Miss!"

* * *

You found Pryna again shortly after, and together you made another round of the market. This time, you actually bought all the supplies that you needed. By the time you walked back to the hotel, money was beginning to run low. You thought of telling Luna that you needed to leave Lestallum soon - only to open the hotel room and saw her collapsing upon getting out of the bed.

A curse left your mouth, followed by the sounds of grocery bags being abruptly dropped on the wooden floor. You managed to catch Luna in time, similar to when she fell on the altar of Angelgard after forming a covenant with Ramuh. Her skin under your touch was cold, even though droplets of sweat beaded her forehead. Next to you, Pryna woofed and tried to sneak her snout on Luna inquiringly.

"You don't seem well, Luna," you told her. "You should go back to bed."

Luna shook her head as a reply. "We must make haste to Altissia," she said before looking up to you. It was at that point that you realized Luna was holding her red notebook. In a corner of the room, Umbra wagged his tail and drew out his tongue, seemingly happy to see you finally noticing his presence. "Noctis is heading there. I must request a covenant with the Hydraean before his arrival."

You furrowed your brows. "You can't request a covenant with an Astral when you're sick like this. That is just insane."

"No, that is my duty." Luna raised her hand and caressed down your cheek with her soft, cool knuckles. "Please, my dear Shield?"

You shuddered slightly at the touch and closed your eyes. A sigh escaped your lips then. You realized then that you would never be able to decline any request that the Oracle made, no matter how incredulous. "... Fine. We will depart now to Altissia."

"Oh, thank you so, so much, Leonis."

She wrapped her fair arms around your neck and rested her temple on your collarbone, causing you to let out a deep sigh. 

But of course, you thought. She was technically still engaged to the young king, wasn't she?

* * *

The trip back to the dropship was not easy, to say the least. Aside from carrying the rucksack on your back, your hands were also occasionally occupied with carrying Luna, all the while having to trek up an inclining hill where you had parked the dropship. Pryna padded around you the entire time, woofing what sounded to you like encouragement. You also noticed the Messenger giving you directional hints on moments where you weren't sure where to go.

There were moments when you thought of starting up a conversation. Maybe talk about what happened last night when you took a moment’s break leaning against a tree trunk to catch up on your breathing. But every time you looked at Luna’s pale face and dry lips, you couldn’t help but be reminded of the sight of her shivering in your arms and holding a red leather-bound notebook. So you found yourself tightening your lips and straightening your back for yet another hike.

By the time you arrived at the dropship, you took little delay in dropping the rucksack on the steel floor. Then you headed towards the helm and gently set Luna down on the co-pilot's seat. When she opened her eyes and met your gaze, you handed her a water bottle that you managed to grab while running errands in the market. She took sips from the bottle and then handed it half-full to you. You accepted the offer and drank the rest of the water before crumpling the empty plastic bottle.

"How are you doing, Leonis?" asked Luna shortly afterwards. "The hike was quite treacherous. We can delay the flight a little bit if you need a rest."

"I'm fine," you said, waving your hand. "I'll recover after a good night's sleep."

"Are you certain?"

"110 percent."

Luna looked hesitant but eventually resigned. "Very well, then."

The dropship made a soft humming sound as it slowly ascended. You made a turn on the steering wheel and the vehicle obeyed, heading towards the southeast before zooming in the direction of the Cygillan Seas.

* * *

Similar to Lestallum, you parked the dropship just outside the southern part of Altissia, hidden among the trees. It wasn't the most breathtaking route to enter the city, but at least it got the work done, so you could hardly complain.

Luna woke up from her nap with the soft turbulence that came with landing. Her complexion looked much better after a long nap. "Stay here," you instructed before slinging the rucksack onto your back. "I'll go first to the city and find Verrum."

Just as you opened the hatch to exit, you felt your phone vibrated in your pant's pocket. You picked it up and saw an incoming message from your uncle: _ Find Weskham. He can be trusted. _

You swiped the message close and locked your phone screen before making a step out of the dropship. All of your movements immediately stopped, however, upon hearing the click of a gun's safety resounding from somewhere on your front.

You tried your best not to roll your eyes. _ Not again... _


	13. Things That Remain Unsaid (They Float Away to the Sea)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An Imperial guard got suspicious of your arrival in Altissia and decided to investigate. Good thing that a certain mercenary with Commodore rank stepped in to intervene...
> 
> On the other hand, you figured out that kissing the Oracle was a much easier task than putting into words the growing, gnawing feeling that you have for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tag update: added Aranea in the characters list. Even though her cameo here is almost as long as Talcott's from the previous chapter... also please note that there is smut in this chapter.
> 
> Song suggestion for this chapter: [Tout Le Monde](https://youtu.be/QN9EOyfoAyk) by Carla Bruni.
> 
> Last but not least, thank you for the new bookmarks and kudos!!

The gun-toting stranger turned out to be an Imperial guard. His face was uncovered by a helmet, and you couldn't help but notice that the guard was rather young - though not as young as Tonnaer. Nevertheless, his expression was similarly serious when he shouted, "Hands up where I can see them!"

You did as he said, raising both your hands up above your head and opening your palm so he could see that you weren't holding any weapons. Your dagger was still sheathed behind your back, though. If the guard got dangerously close, you could simply reach it...

Just as you began entertaining the idea of warp-striking your way out to freedom, you saw the guard being yanked on his collar from behind by someone in black armor. "C-Commodore Highwind??" the guard stuttered in surprise upon recognizing his assailant. "What are you doing here?"

"That should be my question to you, boy," the voice that replied behind the helmet was feminine. The Commodore then lifted her helmet up so her brilliant green eyes could look down at the scared guard directly. "What're you doing aiming a gun at one of our own?"

"One of our own? But she's not wearing a standard-issue uniform…"

"And you think I'm wearing one?" She clicked her tongue. "Boy, you got a lot to learn still, huh? Of course she's a mercenary - just like I am. How else would she be flying a Niflheim dropship?"

"But-" The guard wanted to add, but the Commodore waved him into silence.

"No more questions or I'll let your sergeant know why you deserted your post," she said with a glint in her smirk. "I can take over from here. She's someone I know personally from work."

"O-okay. Well… I suppose… have a good day, Ma'am, Commodore."

The Imperial guard nodded at both you and the female mercenary before scampering away. The Commodore's attention was then fully on you, and you looked at her back with a neutral expression.

"I take it that you know Verrum?" you asked as the black-armored mercenary made her way towards you. The heel of her boots made clicking sounds as she stepped onto the inclined pathway into the dropship. "Why isn't she here?"

"She would die first before leaving the High Commander's side - what with the current political climate at the Imperial capital," she answered. "The girl's way too attached to her client for her own good."

The Commodore stopped in front of you and stretched out her hand. "Name's Aranea, by the way. Aranea Highwind."

The gesture reminded you that you still had both hands up above your head. So you dropped them and raised one up for the handshake. At the same time, you could hear the approaching steps of Luna and Pryna as they began to emerge from inside the dropship.

"Leonis," you replied concisely.

"Ah. Like the famed Immortal of Lucis." Aranea smirked. You smiled back but didn't intend to elaborate further.

"Well, follow me, Leonis, Highness. We still need to pass the immigration check. If we're lucky, we might be able to pass it in one hour or less."

* * *

The immigration check turned out to be more horrible than you had ever expected. There was only one booth open, which caused a long queue. Many of those queuing were from Lucis - and from the accents that you managed to overhear, you dared guess that most of them were from Insomnia.

How the tides have changed, you couldn't help but think. Only a little over a decade ago, when the Wall was still protecting Insomnia, a similar queue was shown on the news reports everywhere in the Crown City. It had since sparked years-long debate on whether stronger immigration control was necessary.

"What kind of bullshit is this..."

In the corner of your eyes, you saw Aranea pace up to the only open booth and banged hard on the glass front. Each strike that she made shattered any thoughts that formed in your head into dissolving pieces.

"Why on Titan's balls is there only one booth open?" demanded the Commodore. "You guys blind or what? There are people here that have been queuing for _ hours_."

You weren't sure if Aranea was bluffing or serious. The immigration officer behind the booth seemed to lean more to the latter, however.

"T-There is an order to increase border security, after the siege of Insomnia," he started. "T-The order comes directly from the office of Secretary Claustra, you see."

"And you really think making people queue for hours contribute to security? Fascinating." Aranea crossed her arms, and the immigration officer gulped visibly.

"... I-I will call up my colleagues," he eventually said.

"Good. You do that, and I'll be on my way with my guests in no time at all."

"But, Commodore-"

The rest of the words that the immigration officer was going to say effectively disappeared when a long spear suddenly manifested in Aranea's hand, following from flickers of red lights and crystals. The Commodore then stabbed at the ground with the blunt end of her weapon.

"Need I inform Chancellor Izunia himself how _ efficiently _ you reacted to this immigration crisis, officer?" she purred threateningly.

The question was never answered.

As you, Luna, and Pryna waited patiently for Aranea to call up a gondola, the Oracle leaned closer to your ears, remarking with obvious awe, "These mercenaries can be _ very _ convincing, can't they?"

"Yeah, their methods can be... vastly different," you replied, pausing when you remembered a certain scene that you accidentally stumbled into in Duscae's Imperial base. "But you really can't deny that they are effective."

* * *

It was late in the afternoon when the gondola arrived and you began the journey towards the accommodation that Ravus had arranged - which turned out to be a small villa that seemed to emerge from beneath the canal water.

But the sceneries that preceded your discovery of the villa were hardly less breathtaking. The entire city of Altissia looked as if it was raised up from the bottom of the sea before skilled sculptors and painters put together their hopes and dream into reality. All crisscrossed by the blue canals and white waterfalls.

Needless to say, you were a bit disappointed when the little trip ended and you had to jump off the gondola. Aranea stepped up ahead to unlock the villa's wooden entrance door - which looked like a work of art in and of itself - before letting you in and handing you the key.

"The High Commander should arrive later this evening. He's a bit preoccupied somewhere else," said the Commodore before she performed a casual salute. "Well then, I will be off doing another errand ordered by Izunia."

You crossed your arms at the mention of the Imperial Chancellor's name. "What kind of errand, if I may ask?"

"You may not," was all that you were given as an answer.

You opened your mouth to say something back, but you barely managed to utter a syllable before the Commodore slammed the door right on your face. Soon, you found yourself inhaling and exhaling air, trying not to let your annoyance get to your head. Then you turned your attention to Luna, who threw you a warm, heart-melting smile.

"Shall we choose a bedroom?" she asked, pointing to the stairs.

You smiled faintly and nodded. "After you, my lady."

* * *

There were three bedrooms in total in the entire villa. Each one of them was exquisitely decorated, with tiled flooring and luxurious blue velvet drapes. An oil painting hung on at least one wall in the room, and you couldn’t help but wonder whether they depicted people who used to live there.

But the most extravagant - and most noticeable as well - was the four-poster bed that was present in each room. The wooden panels that constructed them were ornate and old, the kind that you could imagine belonging to the Citadel. Yet, they were surprisingly sturdy.

You knew because, at one point, you were all over on one of those beds with Luna, amid the satin sheet. All kisses and touches and moans and sighs while the bed itself barely made a noise. Both of you were naked except for the necklaces that hung down from your respective necks. Hers had the mysterious moon-and-star pendant hanging from a delicate silver chain, while yours was a makeshift mess centered around a royal jewel that you would never deserve to properly wear - but were duty-bound to carry.

As you ground down your hungry folds against her slick clit, you could feel the ring tap gently at your sternum. You froze all movement, then, like a child being caught red-handed stealing a candy.

Beneath you, Luna’s ocean-blue fluttered half-open and searched dazedly for you. You wanted to say something, then. That perhaps you should stop. Your blood was not worthy of the like of her. That you would still give her your life even if she decided that all of this was a mistake. But then you saw her perfectly curved, swollen lips move.

“Leonis… come here and kiss me.”

So you did. You leaned in and captured her agape lips, drunk in her moans as you both rode fervently towards your shared release. The Ring of Lucii hit your skin over and over, and for a split second before you came, you couldn’t help but think how freeing your lustful, rebellious act really was.

But if Nyx’s death ever taught you anything, it was that nothing good in this world really lasted.

The guilt took over shortly after the high of your orgasm. It knocked at the hollows of your chest like a second heart, and you soon found yourself pulling away instead of spooning Luna and all of her smooth, scarless, sleeping curves. Quietly, you gathered your clothes and put each article on as you made your way towards the door, craving for fresh air.

So you stumbled towards one balcony and was immediately greeted by the sight of the setting sun against the backdrop of watery vistas. From somewhere above your head, seagulls were screeching. Leaning your back against the large window frame, you couldn’t help but wonder how it would feel like to be smoking a cigarette right at that point. Like lovelorn, brooding heroes that used to be all over the TV and movies. You never got to pick up smoking growing up - imagining how disappointed your uncle would be when he found out was enough deterrent.

Well, imagine how he would react when he figured out you were fucking the Oracle...

You took one last puff of the fresh air and then exhaled it as a sigh. As you were retreating back into the villa, you suddenly felt soft warmth gently rubbing against the mid of your calf. You looked down and saw Pryna look back up with her black eyes, which stood out so well against her pure white fur.

"Hey. Did you get lost or something?" You scratched lightly between her ears and then closed up the window, making sure that it was properly locked. Pryna padded out of the door and you followed after her back towards the bedroom where Luna was sleeping.

Before stepping into the room, you saw Luna sitting on the bed sideways from the door. She had put on her shirt, and one of her hands was holding her phone against her ear. You abruptly stopped in your tracks. The speaker was not set to its loudest setting, but in the silent, spacious room, you could hear the dial tone beeping - followed by a confused-sounding, masculine voice saying, "Hello?"

Luna opened her mouth, but no word came out. You saw that her grip on the phone tightened while the voice on the other end resumed with an added urgency, "Who is this?"

You practically could hear your heart beating inside your ribcage. At that point, Luna's ocean-blue eyes finally found you, opened wider, and she haphazardly put the phone down to press on its red button.

"Leonis," she called out, smiling. "I didn’t know you were standing there."

Both of your eyebrows rose higher. "Well, sorry if I was interrupting something…"

Luna looked down, then shook her head. "There was... hardly any conversation. You were not interrupting anything."

"Yeah, I noticed."

You took a seat next to her on the bed tentatively. Luna didn't look at you. Instead, she looked at the phone that she was holding in her lap. The very phone that she had used to call for your help when General Glauca was about to spirit her away on the roof of Caelum Via.

"... I never thought that I would hear his voice again," she admitted. "All those years that we spent writing to each other… I always thought that was all that I could get."

You found yourself tracing the outline of Luna's face with your eyes, remembering how her soft expression had contorted when she reached her orgasm. It was with a conscious struggle that you managed to look away to the marble floor. "Well... it's good that you get to hear each other's voice now, isn't it?"

Luna nodded after a moment. There was hesitation in her movement that you noticed, on top of the slight pink in her cheeks. "I suppose so."

Her shoulders began tensing up. All the things that the two of you had done in that bedroom and back in Lestallum hung wordlessly in the air, and you were sure that Luna sensed it as well. And then, there was that darned old-school cell phone in her hand. And somewhere in the bends of time and space, a red leather-bound notebook was being carried in the back of a Messenger dog to this particular moment and place.

"Well… I guess I will go…," you offered. "My uncle told me to find his contact in the city, so…"

"Ah… yes. Of course. Take care, Leonis."

"You, too."

You wanted to say something more. Encouragement, perhaps, so she could be brave enough to talk more with Noctis on the phone. That you could hardly mind her keeping correspondences with the King. But you ended up quietly heading towards the door, with Pryna following you close behind your heel.

Once you were out in the hallway, you noticed that - instead of following you - Pryna had sat back on her hind legs in front of the door to Luna's room.

"You stay and guard her while I'm gone, okay?" you told her and was readily replied with a woof. A small smile tugged at your lips. "That's a good girl."

* * *

Going to see your uncle’s contact in Altissia was actually only half a lie. You simply weren't feeling comfortable staying in the villa, knowing that Luna was probably going to call the King again. Jealousy was not a feeling that you liked to have in the first place, and especially with Luna, you didn't feel as if you had the right to possess such feeling. After all, you had gone to bed with her twice fully knowing that she was promised to someone else.

Nevertheless, as you waited by the pier for a passing gondola, you couldn't help but drawing your eyes back to the upper floor of the villa and wondering if Luna was calling her betrothed again. Perhaps now that you were gone, they could manage to actually have a conversation.

You tried not to let your thoughts linger, and decided to fish out your phone from your pant's pocket. The first thing that you did was accessing the text message from your uncle. _ Weskham_. The name rolled off your tongue with a touch of familiarity. You had heard the name before, but you couldn't quite point to when or where.

"Need a ride, Miss?"

You looked up from your phone and was about to say no until you noticed that the question had come from an actual gondolier.

"Um, yes… I guess so," you muttered, all the while lowering your eyes to busy yourself with admiring the gondola. Altissia and Insomnia were two very different cities, you reminded yourself. Behind its gleaming lights and exciting metropolitan rush, the latter could be a harsh place for women. This did not seem to be the case with Altissia - at least judging from the gondolier's nervous chuckle in reaction to your previously cold glare.

"Alright, let me go closer so you can hop on," he explained before his voice was interleaved by sounds of water splashing against the polished wood. "What's your name, by the way?"

Blinking, you told him your last name - and then regretting it immediately. However, if the gondolier recognized the name, he didn't show it on his face.

"My name is Antonio," he said while tipping the wide-brimmed hat that he and many other gondoliers in Altissia seemed to be wearing. "Would you like some help getting on the gondola?"

"Oh. No, I think I can manage just fine." Then, after a pause, you added, "Thank you."

"You’re welcome. And do be careful - it's quite slippery."

Antonio kept his smile up while patiently waiting for you to settle on one of the seats. Like their buildings, the gondolas in Altissia were just as tastefully and artistically crafted. Plopping yourself down onto one of the plush seats with carefully embroidered upholstery, you couldn't help but wonder if Altissians were ever wary of rain ruining their property - be it buildings or gondolas.

"So do you know where you're heading, Miss Leonis?" asked Antonio once the gondola drifted further away from the pier.

You tried to not let your gaze linger on the villa while thinking on the answer. Then, turning around to look at the gondolier's face directly, you asked, "Do you happen to know who Weskham is?"

"Of course! The owner of Maghoo, Weskham Armaugh?" he asked back, and you reluctantly gave your confirmation. "His restaurant is quite famous around here. Many Lucians travel from far to have a taste of the food they make there."

A grin inevitable escaped your lips. "Is it so obvious that I'm from Lucis?"

"Only from your name," he grinned back. "So, would you like me to take you to Maghoo?"

"Yes, please."

You weren't entirely sure if it was the same Weskham that you were looking for. Hell, you weren't even sure if the man himself would be present at Maghoo. But for now, it was the only clue that you had.


	14. Ghosts From the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You met with Weskham and he revealed stories from his youth that your uncle never told you.
> 
> Afterwards, sick of the romantic city on the sea, an unexpected savior came to your rescue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please be warned that there is a mildly forced kissing scene in this chapter.

Maghoo the restaurant itself was located on a floating market, surrounded by boats selling fresh produce and other various items. There was a bar in the middle of the restaurant that was well stocked with liquor and wine bottles. Instead of tables, there were old repurposed wine barrels. The restaurant's customers flocked around such barrels, chatting with friends or lovers over a glass of ruby red wine.

The entire restaurant was situated on a wood-covered platform that floated on the water. You first discovered this when a particularly fast motorboat passed by a nearby canal, leaving behind waves that swayed the entire restaurant - and your sense of balance. Before your face could fall flat on the wooden floor, however, someone managed to catch you by your shoulders.

"Are you alright, Miss?" A deep, baritone voice asked. You looked up, half expecting to see a handsome face with a long scar running down one eye. To your disappointment, instead of a scar, there was a monocle. The man that just saved you from a certain comical embarrassment was at least as old as your uncle, and not the embodiment of youthful strength and beauty like the one you saw in the Prairie Outpost back in Leide.

Although the man standing in front of you now was by no means hideous, either. He was sharply dressed for a start, with white shirt and gold-buttoned vest with a matching pair of trousers. All meticulously pressed. A soft knot was visible between his dark but brilliant eyes, indicating his concern.

"Yeah… I'm fine." You cracked an apologetic smile while getting back to your feet. "Thank you."

"You are most welcome. And welcome to Maghoo," he said, finally letting go of you after seeing that you could stand without support. "Is there anything that I can help you with? A glass of sparkling wine, perhaps?"

"Beer would be nice, thanks," you replied. "Oh, and I'm also looking for Weskham Armaugh. Is he happen to be around today?"

The monocled man flicked his eyebrows at you and crossed his arms. "And who is asking, if I may ask?"

You looked back at him straight in the eye, blinking only very slowly. Just like your uncle had taught you. "Tell him that Leonis is looking for him."

You stared at each other for a moment - silent and measuring. In the end, the man relented with a string of chuckles.

"I should have expected that those eyes must be related to Cor's."

He shook his head and then offered you his hand. "Welcome to Altissia, my dear. Your uncle had informed me ahead of time that you were coming."

* * *

"So… Insomnia really has fallen, huh?"

You answered with a quiet nod before taking a gulp from your beer. Placing the glass chalice back on the wooden bar counter, you relished in the caramel-like aftertaste of Altissian beer. It felt nice and fresh after telling Weskham the lengthy story of your escape from Insomnia. From the corner of your eyes, you saw the restaurateur let out a heavy sigh and took a sip from his own red sparkling wine.

"I suppose it means that our reunion there is now cancelled forever...," he uttered.

You blinked at him. "What reunion?"

"Cor never told you?"

Weskham turned, saw your expression, then smiled apologetically. "Ah, my apologies. I keep forgetting that with Cor, I should always assume he never tells anything to anyone."

You turned back to your beer chalice, pondering on Weskham's words. King Regis told you similar thing as well, back in Insomnia. You couldn't help but wonder just how many secrets did your uncle really have, tucked away from his own family and closest friends.

Before long, Weskham started telling you the story of how he, your uncle, and another man - a royal mechanic called Cid Sophiar - had accompanied then-Crown Prince Regis in his travel around Lucis to collect the royal arms. Then they extended their trip to Altissia to reform an old alliance between Lucis and Accordo. The alliance plan hadn't worked out well, and as a result, the Wall was scaled further back until it only protected Insomnia.

"At the very least, it protected only the Crown City until very recently," he huffed before throwing a sad smile at you. You returned his smile briefly.

"Do you ever feel like coming back to Lucis?" you asked. There was a moment of silence that followed immediately afterwards.

"After Keycatrich was bombarded? Not really, I must confess. There is nothing much that awaits me in Lucis - aside from ghosts." Weskham crossed his arms. "And both Clarus and Reggie are gone now, so…"

You glanced at Weskham just in time to catch him sighing. Purely out of a sense of comradery, you raised a hand to rest on his shoulder.

"The dead never really leave us. They still keep watch over us, from the Beyond," you repeated Luna's saying word by word before retracting your hand back to your beer chalice.

"Well, then, I should fear Reggie's vengeful retaliation for having drinks with Cor's niece without him." Weskham paused to chuckle.

"Anyway… my apologies for boring you with my tales of the past. I must think it's due to your presence reminding me of Cor," he resumed. "But there is something else that I must discuss with you, in relation to your traveling companion."

"Of course," you replied. "What would you like to know?"

Weskham took a second to sip the last of his wine, then gently placed it back on the bar counter. "I assume that the two of you are here mainly for one thing," he began. "I'm not sure whether you are aware of this… but access to the Altar of the Tidemother had been barred for months. Imperial order, it would appear."

"That is an unfortunate news," you muttered. The Altar had been the place of worship for Leviathan - similar to the Disc of Cauthess and the Angelgard Island were for Titan and Ramuh. It wasn't that difficult to deduce that Luna needed to have access to the place in order to commune with the Hydraean.

"It is. But there is a silver lining." A shadow of a smile played on Weskham's lips. "I can get you in contact with Camelia Claustra, the First Secretary of Accordo Protectorate."

You straightened up from your seat upon hearing the name and the title. "The First Secretary herself? Can she really let us see Leviathan?"

"Well, yes and no. Accordo is part of the Empire, but it still retains some independence, thanks to a treaty that was signed some decades ago." He fixed the position of his monocle. "It will require some… diplomatic subtlety. But I'm certain we can find a way."

"I see. Well, whatever the outcome will be, I guess it's our best chance."

You took one last sip from your beer chalice before reaching for a pen and a scrap of paper from behind the bar. You scribbled down your phone number and slid the paper to the foot of Weskham's wine glass. He covered his palm over it and subtly moved it into the pocket of his pants.

Fixing your eyes back to the older man's, you flashed a grateful smile. "Thank you for the beer, Mr. Armaugh."

"Please, just Weskham is fine," he replied, smiling as wide as you. "And the pleasure is mine, my dear."

* * *

By the time you left Maagho, the sun was starting to set on the horizon. Antonio was nowhere to be found on the floating market, so you ended up hitchhiking one of the merchant boats that was selling fish. The fishmonger dropped you near one of the main plazas and told you where to go to find the evening gondolas. You offered to give him some money as thanks, but he refused. So instead you bought two codfish that had been left over from the rest of his wares that day.

Not long after, you found yourself walking along the waterside path, still feeling somewhat reeled from the casual kindness of the Altissians. Or perhaps it was the rather strong Altissian beer that you drank on completely empty stomach. The air was warm but dry, with a little salty scent from the sea, and you tried to inhale it as much and as deeply as possible. Hoping that the fresh air could help flush away your budding nausea.

Eventually, you reached the plaza that the fishmonger told you about. It was dotted with restaurants and lit with soft glows emanating from artfully crafted street lights. The plaza was facing a wider body of water where different canals met, with a small waterfall on one of its sides. The light of the moon was reflected on the still surface of the water.

You watched the scenery for a little while, fully realizing that you were not the only one that was appreciating the beauty. In your peripheral view, you could see a young couple approach one of the empty piers, embracing and looking beyond the waters. When you turned your gaze, you saw another couple exchanging a kiss over one of the café tables that was set up on the plaza.

As beautiful and kind and welcoming as it was, Altissia was a painfully romantic city. Especially for someone that had just recently faced a romantic rejection or lost a loved one - or both.

You let out a sigh.

As you turned on your heel, you felt the world turn. Blue and yellow lights blurred in your vision, forcing you to bend forward and grabbed for support from the nearest light post. The pressure came next, starting from your solar plexus, and then lurched up to your throat. You bent over forward, down to your knees - and retched right into the moonlit water of the canal.

Back in Insomnia, someone vomiting on the side of the road would cause anyone to steer clear and far away. You would have paid anything in the world to be back in that environment, but as fate would have it, you had ended up in Altissia instead. So someone did approach you. Two of them, in fact - and they happened to be the lovers that you saw embracing by the water.

"Gods, what happened? Are you unwell, Miss?"

"Stay here with her. I will ask for some water in the café."

You wanted to shake your head, but then hesitated at the last second as you just had to retch yet again into the canal.

"It will be fine," one of your helpers said while gently massaging your upper back. "We will help you out, okay?"

Before you could reply to the man, his boyfriend had returned from the café carrying an empty glass and a carafe of water. Then the man that was previously attending you left to catch a gondola.

"Here you go."

The glass was filled in and offered to you. You tentatively accepted it, officially resigning yourself into being helped by the good souls of Altissia.

* * *

"_The frequent quakes which rocked the Duscae and Cleigne regions of Lucis in recent days have finally quieted..."_

You could barely open your eyes as you were brought you to a gondola, and were only aware of the news broadcast on the radio.

“_In response, the empire provided the following comment:” _

“_The cause of the tremors was the ‘Archaean’ who had awakened in a fit of rage. The Imperial army took swift action and laid the unruly giant to rest, thus averting disaster."_

You opened your eyes upon recognizing the voice of Ravus. At the same time, the gondola began to move, and it became increasingly difficult to stay alert of your surroundings. Especially since your stomach insisted on lurching at every splash of waves and every turn that the gondola made.

"Ah, pardon the rather rough trip…," you heard a voice began to apologize. "I am clearly not myself this evening - must have been due to the full moon. My driving is usually much more refined that this, I can assure you!"

That voice sounded… familiar. Cracking your eyes half-open, you could see the gondolier standing on the other side of the gondola in the signature striped shirt and wide-brimmed hat. Then the gondola passed a canal where the moonlight was obstructed by buildings on both sides, and the gondolier abruptly morphed into a man in a long black coat and black fedora hat.

You tightened your lips upon recognizing the man. "Chancellor Izunia… what are you doing here?"

The man froze for merely one second, then let out a chuckle. "My, my. I thought I was rather convincing in acting as our favorite gondolier."

He stepped down from the stern and fixed his hat before looking up. In the dim moonlight, you thought you could see black liquid like ink drip down from one of his golden eyes.

"What was his name again… Antonio?"

You held your breath as you felt both bile and anger bubbling up from further down your sternum.

"What did you do to him?" you demanded - although with your weakened voice, you could hardly be described as demanding…

"Oh, something similar to what I did to you the last time we met," replied Ardyn easily as if you were merely asking about the weather. Having no more need for pretension, the Chancellor plopped nonchalantly on the plush seat right in front of you. His golden eyes were gleaming. "But he handled my treatment _ much _ better than you did, I must admit."

You sighed and closed your eyes, then veered to the edge of the gondola as you felt another vomit lurching up yet again in your throat. Inevitably, you were reminded of what Ardyn did the last time you ran into each other - how he pulled and picked apart your memories like they were mere playthings… you retched yet again into the still, clear water of the Altissian canal.

"There, there… aren't you a poor thing." You felt the Chancellor's hand patted gently at your upper back, at one point even downright massaging your terse muscles. You didn't even have the strength to swat him away. You did, however, manage to throw him a side glare when he touched an open glass bottle to your chapped lips.

"It's potion, my dear, to restore some of your health," he explained. "I promise it is not laced with anything poisonous."

He made a crossing movement with his pinky finger over his heart. Belatedly, you realized at this point that the gondola was still driving on despite having no one to steer it. If you had been in better health, that fact would have probably disturbed you more. As it was, you simply couldn't break your focus away from Ardyn's mocking grin.

"... How can I trust that you will keep your promise?" you asked, making sure to wipe your lips clean from bile before you opened it. Your dignity had been crushed enough as it was.

"Because, my dear…"

Ardyn paused to sit down on the bench next to you before shifting you into his lap. You yelped in surprise, completely not expecting him to lean in closer to you. His lips touched yours firmly, prying them open with sure expertise.

Your eyes widened in surprise. After the initial shock wore off, you realized that the Chancellor had somehow slipped some of the potion into his mouth. Its cool taste left your taste buds as the concoction flowed directly to your throat. You swallowed reflexively - and did feel your stomach calming down after a moment.

"... You simply have no other choice but to believe in me."

As Ardyn finished his sentence, he placed the half-finished bottle in your hand, then slipped out from under your lap to return to his chair. A satisfied smile decorated his expression.

Sighing, you brought the bottle to your lips and emptied the rest of its content. You let out another, longer sigh afterwards - one that was filled with reluctant contentedness. Opening your eyes once more, you found Ardyn lounging quietly on his claimed seat. Having your head finally clearing up and your stomach quieting down, you couldn't help but see him - with his tipped fedora hat, his left ankle resting snugly on his right thigh - as a bored, failed figure of a king.

"Thanks…," you said reluctantly. "... Why are you helping me?"

Ardyn answered you with a shrug. "Basic human decency?" he asked back. "Although technically I am not a human anymore, so I suppose that answer is rendered rather moot… call it a gentlemanly act for a damsel in distress, then, if you will."

You frowned, both at his blatant lie and the fact that he just called you a damsel in distress.

"We are enemies," you replied. "It doesn't make sense that you would help me."

"Well, technically, it is your king who is my enemy," he pointed out.

"Any enemy of _ my _ king is my enemy as well."

"Ah, is that so? The King of Light is very lucky to have such a loyal subject."

The Chancellor leaned back and pressed the tip of his fingers to each other under his smug smirk.

"Just out of curiosity, though: what brings all this... loyalty?" he asked next.

You narrowed your eyes at him. What was his deal, asking all of these questions?

"Because it's my duty."

"Who said it is? Your uncle? Or…" He paused to make a dramatic movement with his hand. "The love of your life, minutes before his body burned in the Light of our star."

You bolted up and sent a kick forward. Ardyn lifted up and twirled theatrically to evade your attack. He grabbed at your shoulder next, and with a surprisingly strong force sent you back to sit in the front seat.

"Answer me, Ring Bearer."

You grunted, then stared hard at his golden eyes. "Because the future depends on it!"

"On who?"

"The King."

"Ah. But it's not like you ever met him in person, isn't it? How do you know if he is worthy of all this… blind devotion? If he can bring about the future that you - and your _ dearly beloved_ Oracle - fight so hard for?"

"That’s…"

You opened your mouth, then closed it again. Despite the clearer head, you found yourself struggling to find a good answer to his question.

How could you know that the King would be able to rid Eos of the Scourge's darkness? "... Because… it was ordained… by the gods."

Suddenly, Ardyn let out an amused laugh. "Good girl. The gods really had chosen their pawn well - this time."

You threw another glare at him. The Chancellor seemed to disregard any animosity that you projected as he took a step closer and knelt in front of you.

"What I'm actually here for is… my scarf," he said next, stretching his palm open in front of you. "Would you kindly give it back to this old man?"

You furrowed your brows - first in confusion, then in exasperation after you remembered your experience in Angelgard Island.

"I..." You were about to say that you didn't have his scarf anymore. Then you looked down to the red fabric in your hand that you had used to wipe bile from your lips earlier. Wide eyed, you looked up to Ardyn, who was simply chuckling.

"A little stain is fine, my darling. It is not like I have an official Imperial meeting this late into the night," he said before taking the scarf from your open palm and wounding it around his collar, inevitably hiding the stain from view. "There. As good as new."

When his golden eyes fixed on you once again, you noticed that there was softness in the edges of his expression. Almost like… endearment. And perhaps even sadness.

"Now. Shall we bring you home, Miss Ring Bearer?"

Sighing, you found yourself nodding - having found no more merit in declining the suggestion.

… Then, snapping up suddenly, you sent one of your fists forward, aiming for one glinting golden eye. The punch hit Ardyn square on his face, sending him tumbling to the side and causing the gondola to sway slightly on the water.

"That's for Angelgard," you explained, slightly breathless, all the while standing up to your feet. "And I suppose for Antonio as well..."

There were other things that you wanted to list down as well, but you decided that those things were too much for just a single punch.

A chuckle was all that you got as an immediate reply. Ardyn stayed lying on the floor of the gondola for several moments afterwards, laughing in what sounded like genuine amusement - even more so than the last time he laughed. Just as you thought of asking if he was okay, the Chancellor staggered up to his feet, set his chair back up, and plopped back down to it. One of his hands was holding his sore eye socket.

"Sharp as always, my dear Glaive. You keep me on toes," he remarked while placing his hat back on his head. "I _ sincerely _ look forward to our next encounter."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That punching scene was so satisfying to write tbh.


	15. Human Contradictions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You came back to the villa and was immediately greeted by Verrum, who brought bad news.
> 
> The next morning, you stumbled into the kitchen with a hungry stomach and ran into an awkward - but eventually enlightening - conversation with the Oracle's brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really enjoy writing Ravus and his general poutiness. Maybe I should write more about him in my next works.

It was past midnight when you finally managed to reach the entrance door of the Altissian villa where you and Luna had been allowed to stay. You had asked Ardyn to drop you at a random pier several blocks away - hence your long delay. Although, midway through, you realized that if the Chancellor had examined much of Antonio's memory, he probably already knew where the villa was. You quietly cursed to yourself, not believing that you could fall for such a rookie mistake.

And let’s not forget that you just crashed a random nice couple’s date. And that you'd given them your codfish for all of their troubles.

You wondered how Nyx would react if he knew. Maybe he would make a good joke out of the whole situation. Or he would probably laugh his ass off your humiliating evening. Or maybe he’d do both.

By Shiva… you hadn’t been thinking about him much lately, had you? Had you really forgotten him so much?

You closed your eyes and breathed deeply, trying to hold back the warmth that was growing at the base of your throat. When you opened your eyes again, you reached towards the doorbell and pressed the button. Then you stood back and waited, fully expecting Luna to open the door. Instead, the face that showed up in front of you belonged to none other than Verrum Almecy.

"Where the fuck have you been?" she asked right after pulling you in and closing the door behind you. Her angry lecture continued in a whisper, "We arrived and there was only the Oracle and the Messenger dog. No protection whatsoever. Ravus was livid."

"Shit," was all that you could muster as an immediate reply. Then, lowering your tone, you added, "I am so sorry, Verrum."

"Don't apologize to me. Leave it for Ravus tomorrow morning."

The ex-Glaive then pulled at your wrist, leading you to the kitchen, then she unlatched the patio doors open. You walked after her through the open doors to a small patch of garden, directly facing the water. Almost automatically, you looked up to one of the windows on the upper floor which you knew led to Luna's bedroom. The moonlight shone on the glass, and you saw that the heavy velvet curtain had been drawn.

"She was down with a fever when we found her." Behind you, you heard Verrum gave her explanation. "Ravus is staying in her room now, taking care of her."

You closed your eyes and sighed. The overwhelming guilt stopped you from saying or even formulating a reply.

"... He should have left by now. And yet..."

Blinking, you turned to look at Verrum. She was gazing up at the covered window of Luna's bedroom, biting at her lower lip.

"I told him it's dangerous to stay here overnight. But he wouldn't listen," she resumed. "There are so many spies in this city, watching his every move. If they figured out he was hiding the Oracle..."

You took a closer, lingering look at Verrum. The words from the Commodore this afternoon rang again from the recesses of your memory. _ The girl's way too attached to her client for her own good. _

"Then why are you still here?" you asked, more out of curiosity than anything. "You're a mercenary. Even if he pays your salary, you're not bound on any oath to stay with him and risk being a target of Niflheim."

Verrum's expression turned more somber after your remark. Her grey eyes moved from the window to the grass in front of her boots and lingered there for a bit.

"I guess… he did grow on me. I do want to stay with him, make sure he's safe… and happy," she muttered eventually before moving her gaze towards you. "But with you - the only thing that you care about is your duty, isn't it, Leonis?"

You opened your mouth to say something, but then closed it again. You wanted to tell Verrum that you did sincerely care about Luna and Nyx, but then you realized that you had failed both of them spectacularly in one way or another.

So instead of answering, you slowly turned around and made your way back to the patio door. Verrum didn't stop you, but you could feel her grey eyes burning holes in your back.

* * *

The next morning, you woke up in one of the villa's spare rooms with a heavy feeling in your chest and stomach. A lot of things happened last night, and the memories of them ricocheted around the inside of your skull. First, there was Verrum's unchallenged assumption. Then, there were Ardyn's questions.

Soon enough, the growl of your hungry stomach filled the darkened room and interrupted your train of thoughts. Sighing, you pushed yourself off the four-poster bed and pulled open the curtains. The water of the canals glimmered with the sunrise and the city was slowly waking up. When you unlatched open the window, you could hear a soft, distant cry of seagulls from afar.

Slowly and quietly, you got dressed and made your way out of the bedroom, past the hallways and down the stairs, towards the kitchen. Someone else was already there, standing with their back facing you. His platinum blonde hair made you stop dead in your tracks.

"Shit."

You heard a curse word next, and then a clatter of tin against the wooden countertop. Even then, you still refrained from moving, opting to wait until Ravus finished doing whatever he was doing with the coffee machine. Then your eyes caught the sight of the limp sleeve of his silky bathrobe, and it finally occurred to you that he might be needing help.

Quietly, you grabbed at the cleaning cloth draped haphazardly on one of the dining chairs in the kitchen before closing your distance.

"Um… I can take over, if you don't mind," you offered. "With the coffee machine, I mean."

A pair of blue-and-violet eyes darted towards you. You calmly looked back at Ravus and watched his deep frown disappeared into tight-pressed lips before he turned away with a deep sigh. "As you wish," he said dismissively, then took a seat at one of the dining chairs.

You turned to the countertop to see ground coffee covering the entire front of the coffee machine. You wiped it as best as you could, and fed whatever coffee was still left over in the tin box into the coffeemaker. After making sure that there was enough water, you let the machine ran and resumed with cleaning the rest of the countertop.

Eventually, there was only so much ground coffee that you could clean. Soon, you found yourself standing with a cleaning cloth in one hand and your back facing the High Commander of Niflheim Empire. The crackling sound of boiling water from the coffeemaker filled the silence between the two of you.

Then, once the water stopped boiling and coffee was slowly being filtered into the transparent glass pot, the noise was suddenly and abruptly replaced by the sound of your stomach.

You closed your eyes, feeling utterly embarrassed. From behind your back, you could hear Ravus clearing his throat - a polite way to get your attention.

"There is some bread in the cabinet," he said next. "And a jar of jam in the refrigerator."

"Thank you," you replied.

Too humiliated to say anything else, you wordlessly marched towards the fridge, grabbed the jam jar, then searched for the bread in the cabinet. If you weren't so preoccupied, you would have probably marveled at how well-stocked the kitchen was. Someone must have been paid to shop and fill the fridge and cabinet with brand new, high quality ingredients and cutlery. However, with Ravus' mismatched eyes following your every move, you could hardly pick up a knife without rattling the entire cutlery drawer.

At the end, you pulled at the dining chair across from Ravus and sat down with a plate of bread slices and a butter knife in front of you. It took you one look at the empty space in front of Ravus before the gears in your brain finally began turning.

"Ah... I forgot to ask if you wanted to have some bread as well."

You tilted up your head and was fully expecting a full grimace on Ravus' expression. And reality delivered. His mismatched eyes closed the moment they met yours and another impatient sigh escaped his lips. Before long, he stood up and headed for the cabinet.

You gazed at the High Commander for a moment more before the words escaped you, "I'm sorry."

"It is nothing to be concerned about," he murmured back.

"I mean, also about yesterday."

Ravus stopped midway through opening a cabinet. You turned back around to once again look at your plate. But you were eventually distracted a moment later when Ravus placed an empty cup next to it, then another one on his side of the dining table.

"It is Luna that you should apologize to," he told you. His blue-and-violet eyes looked down at you with an almost soft bearing. "You are her Shield, after all."

You opened your mouth, wanting to reject the title. But you ended up saying nothing and busied yourself with spreading the jam on your slice of bread, feeling unsure how vulnerable you could let yourself be around the High Commander. Ravus returned to his chair a moment after, pouring coffee into his own cup. He then placed the coffee pot on the mat in the middle of the table - free for you to take. You took it with a quiet gratitude and poured some of the content into your own cup.

"How was she doing?" you asked. "Verrum told me she had a fever..."

"Yes, but nothing too serious. She required rest," answered Ravus.

You nodded before biting into your bread. Gentiana told you something similar, back in Duscae, after the covenant with Titan. Revisiting the memory reminded you of another, more recent one.

"I heard you on the radio last night. You made a statement that the Archean had been subdued," you began. "… What does that mean, exactly?"

You looked carefully at the other end of the table. Ravus was sipping his coffee, and the cup hid parts of his expression. Not that you could read much into what he was thinking behind his almost-constant scowl in the first place.

"Mere lies, that was all it was," he replied after placing the coffee cup back on the table. "Noctis and his retainers managed to pass the Trials of the Landforger and gained His favor. Together with the meteorite, the Archaean was no longer seen in the Disc ever since. We barely did anything to rid the quakes - they disappeared together with the Lucian royal retinue."

You couldn't help but blink. It had not crossed your mind before that Ravus would tell you the entire truth - even going so far as telling you that the King had managed to gain the Archean's favor. The High Commander seemed to sense your surprise, from the way a shadow of a smirk played at the corner of his lips.

"Do you still consider me an enemy, Leonis?" he asked. "Perhaps it is for the best… you will make a bad Shield for my sister if you so easily believe everything a Niflheim officer says."

Ravus picked up his coffee cup and stood up, pushing the chair back with his movements. Before he completely left the kitchen, he stopped. "Pray tell me, do you really think your king can be trusted to save this world?"

You fist tightened at the familiar question. Did the Chancellor told him to ask you the same question? You wanted to ask Ravus back, but then you saw his figure - slightly slumped by the doorway - and once again you thought of Nyx. How consumed he was by guilt from being unable to save his sister… you relaxed your fingers and looked down at the dining table contemplatively.

Personally, you had never met King Noctis - even back when he was still a prince. The only remotely personal contact you ever had with him was your incidental eavesdropping when Luna was trying to call him. So, no, you didn't know him at all. Not enough to answer Ravus’ question with a strong yes or no, in any case.

"I don't know," you admitted - eyes still lingering on the High Commander's sideways posture. From this angle, the absence of his left arm was glaring, even as it was hidden behind the cover of his off-white satin bathrobe.

You remembered vividly the moment when he lost the arm. He had shouted to the Lucian Kings of Yore to grant him their power before putting on the ring, claiming that he was the only one worthy of it. Hearing his question now, on top of his real concerns on Luna's wellbeing, you realized that he was being doubtful.

Was there a point to everything that his sister had to endure? To travel Eos and get weakened from communing with the gods? In that short moment, you felt like you could understand a little bit the tangled contradictions that was Ravus Nox Fleuret: High Commander of Niflheim Imperial Army and brother to the Oracle.

Steeling your resolve, you resumed, "But the King won’t have to do it all alone. Luna and I… we are fighting for the same future as well."

"I see," was all that Ravus gave as a comment, after a moment's pause. He resumed walking, then took a right to take the stairs. You wondered idly whether he was heading to Luna's or Verrum's room while sipping at your coffee and nibbling at your jam-spread bread.

It was not until one hour later that you realized how odd the interaction had actually been. In fact, the beginning of it had sounded almost like a joke: a Glaive and a Niffs commander entered a kitchen in Altissia…

You wondered if Nyx would find a way to finish the joke.

* * *

In the late afternoon, Luna was finally awake. You knew because you had been waiting in her room, driven by guilt from being absent for half of yesterday. She was wearing a nightdress made of white silk, which you had never seen during your travel from Insomnia. Perhaps Ravus had brought it from Tenebrae, or it was procured by the same person that had stocked up the kitchen.

She started with a sigh at first. Then a little stretch on the bed, before she rubbed at her eye with the heel of her hand. Once she was sufficiently awake, Luna turned to one side of the four-poster bed - and found you sitting back on a cushioned chair that had been placed there.

"Morning, Highness," you half-greeted, half-teased. A small, slightly uneasy smile graced your lips.

"Good morning, Leonis," replied Luna, her tone slightly disoriented. "What is the time?"

You made a quick check on your phone before answering, "A little past 4PM."

That made her let out a defeated sigh. "So late already? Why did no one wake me?"

You simply replied with a shrug. "You needed the rest. Even if you were blessed by the gods."

"Is that so?" Luna let out a chuckle. "I see you have been learning from Gentiana."

"And your brother, too, actually," you added. "He was here until this morning."

"Ravus left already?" she paused any movement that she was making while sitting up on the edge of the bed, facing you. "When did he leave?"

"Just after lunch. He said he had business to attend to at the Ministerial Quarters."

"Ah, I see."

A silent pause commenced afterwards. Luna was looking down at her lap, seemingly thinking at what she should say next. You let out a quiet sigh and licked at your lips.

"Luna… I think I owe you an apology," you began. "I'm sorry I left so abruptly yesterday. And I'm sorry that I wasn't there… when you had your fever."

Her ocean-blue eyes looked at you widely, then they were cast down again a moment later. Then Luna shook her head. Her shoulder-length blonde hair moved gently with her movements. It looked so soft and you were tempted to reach out to touch it.

"There's nothing to apologize for," she replied. "I didn't expect the fever to arrive, much less you."

A small smile appeared on her lips then. "But thank you, nevertheless. It was… quite lonely after you stormed off."

You couldn't help but feel something somewhere inside your torso wrenched up. Before long, Luna was leaning in to close the distance between the two of you. In such proximity, you could smell the soft scent of sylleblossom from her hair and skin.

"I think that… I also owe you an apology," she resumed in a lower voice. "Yesterday, I said things that must have hurt you."

You tried to think of something to say - about your jealousy, insecurities, acceptance of your respective roles and standings as the Shield and the Oracle - but realized that your brain was unable to form any intelligible thoughts. "Ah… well. That wasn't really-"

"No, please. Do not deny it," she interjected, reaching a hand out to your upper arm. Her ocean-blue eyes looked anywhere but you. "You… may find it difficult to believe it at this point, but I do care about you, Leonis. I truly do, and very much so. Yet, all the same…"

Her fingers trailed towards your sternum, and stopped right on the spot where the Ring of Lucii was pressing against your skin. You felt somewhat dizzy and overwhelmed both by the physical contact and the new information that was just revealed to you.

"So you do care about me," you repeated. Your own hand reached up to grasp Luna's own which was near the meeting point of your collarbones. You could feel your heart beating fast against your chest. "But you still love Noctis more."

You didn't even remember to use the proper title for the King this time around. Luna said nothing to confirm nor deny your conclusion. Instead, her ocean-blue eyes sought yours. Soft, unmarred hand shifted up next, cupping at your cheek, while delicate pink lips parted slightly as the distance between the two of you gradually decreased.

You felt so tired suddenly. Closing your eyes, you resigned yourself into the sweet, engulfing embrace of sylleblossom scent.


	16. Before Sunrise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the first and last time, you and Luna took a walk together around the beautiful Altissia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note that there is smut in this chapter.
> 
> Song suggestion for this chapter: [Boats & Birds](https://youtu.be/ge3cf-AEZEs) by Gregory and the Hawk. The title was pretty much taken from that famous romantic movie Before Sunrise, which sort of inspires this chapter.
> 
> This is so far the most difficult chapter in this entire series for me, as it required an ungodly amount of different rewrites… it's been quite a struggle, but I think I finally quite like this version and how it allows the story to flow into the rest of the chapters.
> 
> I hope you will enjoy reading it!

_"If you be my star, I'll be your sky.  
You can hide underneath me  
and come out at night."_

The kiss started as a gentle peck at first, but then it deepened and eventually increased in urgency. Before you knew it, the hands that were on your cheek and sternum were clinging around your neck, while your own hands rand up and down the sides of Luna's hips. The white silk of her nightdress glided easily against the skin of your palms. Gently, you wounded one arm around the Oracle's waist and pushed her down towards the bed.

Without delay, you leaned back in to capture Luna's lips. She kissed you back fervently, fingers intertwined with yours and the strands of your hair - just above the scalp. Your unoccupied hand trailed down in the meantime, ghosting over smooth skin, and disappeared inside the hem of her nightdress. When the tip of your fingers touched the fabric of her panties, she gasped and stiffened her entire body.

You searched for her eyes. Her ocean-blue looked back at you before she nodded, and pulled you back in for another round of eager, dizzying kiss. Both your hands worked all the while, pulling her panties down to her knees. Then you slipped your digits between her thighs and brushed along the hood of her clit. Her moan went directly into your parted mouth.

With a haphazard haste, you began to undress. Her fingers grappled along, helping you kick the last of your clothes before throwing them off the bed. Once you were naked, she laid down on your side and you pulled her closer to your torso. Your fingers slipped once again beyond her nightdress, finding her slit. Then you slowly moved them, exploring her warm folds as they were gradually dampening.

Your eyes never left her face, watching her brows contorted with pleasure and her flush lips parted to let out gasps and moans. Her fingers gripped tighter at your hair and shoulder. The little pain sent a delicious shiver down your abdomen. You dipped in shortly after, lips trailing her beautifully arching neck before settling on a sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder.

At the end of it all, you found yourself sitting against a pile of pillows against the headboard, with her head nestled against the crook of your neck and your arms wrapped around her small waist. Her shoulder rose and fell with each breath that she took, and at one point you found yourself breathing at the same pace as hers.

Everything smelled subtly of sylleblossom, and you were tempted to actually close your eyes and fall asleep several times. It was wrong for you to stay, perhaps. But you couldn't help but feel so relaxed, and... loved, somehow, at that moment. Even if the very person that gave you that love - through the caresses on your upper arm, the warmth that exuded from her skin and enveloped your torso - had just told you frankly that she loved someone else more.

Your thoughts wandered back to Ravus and all his contradictions. Was it perhaps in the bloodline of the Oracle to be both the breaker and the mender of the hearts that loved them? Suddenly, you felt a tremendous pang of sympathy for Verrum.

The thoughtful quietness in the room was eventually broken by the vibration of your phone - a sign of an incoming call. Reluctantly, you scooted away from the bed to fish it out of your pants' pocket and tapped at the accept call button.

_"When I turn jet black  
and you show off your light,  
I live to let you shine.  
I live to let you shine."_

Luna watched quietly as you received the call. The caller seemed to do much of the talking while you mostly replied with yes or no. At the end of the call, you let out a sigh and placed the phone carefully on the bedside table before turning your attention back to her.

“It was Weskham Armaugh, an old friend of King Regis,” you told Luna before she was even asking. “First Secretary of Accordo, Camelia Claustra, wants to meet you in 2 days’ time.”

Her ocean-blue eyes widened ever so slightly. “The Secretary knows that I’m here?”

“Yeah… Weskham said it’s our only chance to get to the Altar of the Tidemother.”

“Is that so?”

She then sat back on the bed. Legs pulled back to her chest, her lean arms wrapping her shins. It was a position that she often took back on her own bed in Tenebrae after her mother had died. Usually when she was uncertain - or scared - about something, and she would think and think and think...

You couldn’t have known what Luna was thinking, but you did sense that she was upset about something. So you scooted closer and wrapped one arm around her shoulders.

“Hey. Everything okay?” you called out gently. “Should I have not gone to Weskham, after all?”

The Oracle turned to you before forcing a smile. She shook her head next.

“If that is the only way to allow the rites for a covenant to be performed, then so be it,” she said.

“Okay… but what do _you_ think?” you asked next. “Provided that we don’t need to perform the rites for covenant - what do you think of Secretary Claustra knowing that you’re in Altissia?”

Luna’s smile dropped slightly. Then her eyes wandered to the windows of her bedroom. It was facing the sea, and if you paid close attention, you could hear the cry of seagulls from beyond the glass.

She paused to bite her lower lip. “If I meet with the First Secretary, then the entire city will know that I’m still alive. Then, eventually, the Empire will…”

“... Restrict your freedom,” you finished her sentence after holding a breath. Luna confirmed your answer with the slightest nod.

“... But, I don’t mind it,” she resumed. “This… will be the last covenant. So whatever happens to me afterwards matters little.”

You stared hard at Luna. She did tell you that she wasn’t afraid to die as long as she could fulfil her duty, so perhaps giving up her freedom for the same sake shouldn’t have been too unexpected. Yet, somehow, the resignation in her voice still caught you off guard.

Sighing, you let your eyes wander, eventually settling to the window just as Luna had done. An idea was slowly brewing and taking form in your head.

“Shall we visit the city, then?” you suggested. “We can take a look at all the landmarks, all the tourist traps. Just like we did in Lestallum. In disguise, before everyone figures out who you are.”

You turned and saw immediately how her wide pools of blue were once again glimmering with wonder.

“I would very much like that, yes,” she said. Her voice was slightly shaking. “Thank you… Leonis.”

_"But you can skyrocket away from me,  
and never come back  
if you found another galaxy."  
_

That evening - after a few hours spent finding and looking at all the touristic landmarks that Altissia had to offer, eventually wrapping it up with a dinner of seafood at a café by a square - you found yourself walking along a small canal with Luna. Her smooth, unmarred left hand was interlinked with your right one.

Eventually, you reached an arched bridge and stopped to admire the view. Peering over the watery vista from under her cap, she tried to remember one poem that she read about Altissia and began to recite it,

"_O Altissia, _ _  
_ _ City on the Sea, _ _  
_ _ glistening like a gem _ _  
_ _ among the waves. _"

You turned and eyed Luna, who threw you a smile. Serene and gentle, like the moon. She gave a soft caress on your knuckles with her thumb and continued on,

"_And even if _ _  
_ _ the wickedness of men _ _  
_ _ should wipe you from this earth, _  
_ you shall glisten in my heart _ _  
_forevermore."

"That's beautiful," you commented sincerely. "Who wrote it?"

"An explorer from Niflheim," she replied. "He lived a long time before the war started and the Empire was established."

"Ah."

For a moment, you stood on the bridge in silence. The moon was no longer full, but its light still provided much of the illumination in the city. Somewhere in the distance, someone was playing Altissian folk tunes.

A little further ahead, at the end of the canal, a plaza sprawled by a waterfall - its lights were gleaming gently against the backdrop of the night sky. It was difficult for you to imagine such beautiful scenery being engulfed in darkness - or wiped away by 'wickedness of man.'

Speaking of wiped away…

“... I think the memories that I lost about Nyx are never coming back,” you confessed. There was a sting of pain that you felt upon admitting it, but at the same time, you felt some strange lightness as well. Like a burden was being lifted from your shoulders.

From your peripheral view, you saw Luna stare straight ahead towards the waterfall.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” she replied. “I can imagine those memories are very dear to you.”

“Yeah, well. I will have to let those memories go, too, at one point.” You chuckled dryly. “It’s not like the dead are ever going to come back.”

“... No, they probably are not.”

You held your stare on Luna for a moment more. A soft evening breeze blew past the space between the two of you, lifting up some of her golden hair that was not hidden under her cap. The image lasted for only seconds, but it inevitably reminded you of the painting of a drowned goddess in the Royal Aquarium of Caelum Via.

“Luna… can I ask you something?”

“Of course, Leonis.”

"There are six Astrals, and together with Leviathan, we are going to meet three of them… so why did you say the communion with the Hydraean will be your last?"

Luna was quiet for a long time - at least until the winds no longer teased at her golden tresses. "Because… I do not know whether I will be coming back after requesting the covenant."

You opened your mouth to ask more questions, but then your mind made the connection between what Luna had said and the sad smile that she directed to you. You quickly turned back towards the scenery, pulling away from her grasp before gripping at the railing of the bridge. You felt the cold of the steel less and less with your rising anger.

_Not you, too..., _you thought.

"Does your brother know all along?" you asked with a shaking voice. "Is that also why you haven’t called the King, after all this time? Because you don’t want him to mourn you too much?"

There was a moment’s pause, then a soft, "... Yes."

You abruptly let go of the railing. Turning your focus next on Luna, your hands found her upper arms. Her slim muscles contracted slightly with surprise - and perhaps even fear - when your fingers gripped at them with a talon-like clutch.

"Screw all that, Luna! What is it that _ you _ really want?!" you couldn’t help but shout. "If this world didn’t matter... if other people’s fucking feelings didn’t need your babysitting…"

"... Then I would have wanted to meet him again, for one last time!"

To your surprise, the Oracle yelled back at you. It felt like a slap in the face. In fact, with the way you stared dumbfoundedly at her welling eyes, she may have actually slapped you for real. Your grip on her arms loosened.

"It is... everything that I ever wanted…," her voice quavered. "And yet…"

Two pools of the ocean looked up to you, with rivers trickling down smooth ivory skin. "It is ordained... that my death… will come before..."

"Luna…"

You gathered her in your arms and she hugged you back with surprising ferocity.

_"Far from here with more room to fly._  
_Just leave me your stardust_  
_to remember you by."_

Minutes later, once the Oracle was done crying, you found yourself sitting on a bench in a secluded garden, handing out a cone of ice cream to her.

"Here you go," you offered. "Double scoops of ulwaat berry, as you have ordered."

"Thank you," she threw you a smile before tentatively taking the ice cream cone.

You turned to your own ice cream shortly after. Both of you ate in silence while watching your surroundings. A persimmon tree stood proudly behind you, while a small fountain made of marble stood in the middle of the garden. At the top of the fountain stood an angelic figure of a woman. One of the many forms that Leviathan had taken in the past.

"I wonder if we may get lucky and meet the Hydraean while she disguises herself as a human," you pondered out loud. "Then you don't have to perform the rites." _And you don't have to die, either_… but you didn't say that last part out loud.

Luna smiled and shook her head. "That is not the proper way," she said. Her voice was still stuffy from her tears. "There are… duties that I must fulfil, as the last Oracle."

"Duties, huh?" you couldn't help but echo absently. Your memories wandered back to your encounter with the Chancellor, especially to the question that he posed.

"Why is it so important for you to fulfil your duties, Luna?" you asked. "I mean… I understand that the world depends on it. But what does that give _ you _ \- aside from a certain death penalty?"

Her expression was thoughtful for a while. "I think… it gives me a purpose in this life," she said. "When the Empire invaded Fenestala Manor, I knew that I had to do all I could to to stay alive. For the sake of this world... and for Noctis."

You hummed. "You have to tell him, then," you paused to lick at your own ice cream. "Call him, and let him know everything that you have done for his sake. If he truly cares about you, it will encourage him to do his best as well."

Even without turning, you could feel Luna's ocean-blue eyes on you. Attentive and unwavering. "Is it something that you really want, Leonis? Me calling Noctis?"

It was your turn to be quiet for several moments. In the canal, a gondola passed by as slowly and quietly as a swan. A melted droplet of your ice cream trickled to your wrist. At one point, you finally replied, "I really don't mind it at all, if that's what you want to know. I will still protect you... and care about you."

You turned just in time to see the Oracle's cheeks reddened like the scoops of ulwaat berry ice cream that she was holding. You couldn't help but chuckle and lean in to kiss her lips. She tasted sweet, with a hint of sour berries. And with just a slight trace of sylleblossoms as well.

When you finally pulled back, Luna blurted quietly in between breaths, "I never knew that... it was possible... for someone like you to exist - who lets someone you love... also love someone else simultaneously."

"Mhm. Me neither, to be honest," you confessed, genuinely surprised at your own discovery. "I guess my feelings for you are not as brittle as we both originally thought."

Gradually, you both returned to your ice cream and spent the next several minutes finishing them. A soft breeze blew some leaves off the persimmon tree, sending them floating down all around your bench and the sculpture of the goddess. At the bottom of the fountain, two dogs - one with black fur, and the other white - were sitting down on their hind legs.

"Here come the Messengers of the gods," you muttered before the spirit-dogs began padding towards you and Luna. Umbra was especially excited in licking off the melted ice cream from your hand.

"I miss you, too, Umbra," you chuckled before turning to Luna, just in time to see her capture one leaf to slip into the red notebook from inside Umbra's satchel.

Half-consciously, you looked away. "So… does the King know about us…?"

Luna was quiet for a moment. You could hear her flip at a few pages in the notebook, however. The sound of the moving papers was echoed around the empty garden.

"He doesn't yet, but he will," she promised next. "He is… closest to my heart than anyone else in this world. I am sure he will understand."

You looked at her quietly for one moment. "And what if he doesn't understand?"

Luna flashed a sweet, warm smile at you. "Well, then I must have fallen in love with the wrong person."

"... Right."

A soft sigh escaped you, and you spent the next several moments watching Luna latch the notebook back to Umbra's satchel. The Messenger woofed happily before dashing away, his corporeal body vanished in the midst of twirling leaves.

You turned your attention back to Luna. Aside from the slightly puffy eyes, she seemed to be holding up much better than before.

Nothing that a cone of ice cream couldn't fix, you thought.

Stretching out your hand that was not yet licked by Umbra, you offered, "Shall we continue the city tour, my lady?"

"Why, my dear Shield, I thought you would never ask."

Then she took your hand with a refined exaggeration that could have made the Imperial Chancellor proud.


	17. L'appel du Vide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You tried your best to support Luna before, during, and after a nerve-racking meeting with the First Secretary of Accordo, Camelia Claustra. And your efforts included letting Weskham choose your formal outfit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **L'appel du vide**: literally, "call of the void".  
Noun. French. A sudden urge to jump from high places.
> 
> I guess it was just about time I use a French chapter title, so here it is.
> 
> This is also a little indulgent fix-it chapter because I didn't really like how Luna was so quiet and helpless when she met Claustra in-game.

Later that night, you could barely get a wink of sleep.

The conversations that you had with Luna yesterday weighed heavy in your mind. First, there was the ordained death of the Oracle. And second…

Under the light of the moon and stars, you flicked your dagger up and felt all sensations meld into a blur as the warp enveloped your being. Your thoughts, too, became as scattered as the blue lights that accompanied your reappearance. You grabbed the hilt of your dagger only to toss it down again, where it stabbed the ground, and you landed on your feet - and with one hand as additional support - upon the second warp.

You stood up and realized that the very spot you were standing on was the same one you had stood on when Verrum told you that she did care about Ravus. She had also accused you of not understanding that someone could risk their lives for love instead of duty.

But what else could you do when the Astrals themselves had ordained the deaths of those you love?

A seagull cried above your head. When you looked up, you saw that the sky was turning pink and orange from the sunrise. A droplet of sweat dripped down from your temple near the notch of your left ear. You had been training your warps in the back garden of the villa from midnight until dawn, driven by the circular thoughts that kept popping up in your head.

You thought of the King, then. Has Umbra delivered the notebook already to him? If the Messenger could bend time and space, does that mean it's possible that he already read Luna's writing from last night before today?

But what use would it be for him to know, anyway? Luna was going to die. Wouldn't it be better to keep her image untarnished to the young king - to keep his spirits up for his tasks ahead?

... No, that wouldn't have been right. Luna sacrificed so much already for his sake.

Suddenly, you felt a vibration from inside your pants' pocket. You reached inside the said pocket to pull out your phone. Unlocking the screen, you immediately noticed a new message from Weskham:

_Come to the restaurant this afternoon. A surprise awaits…_

_ -W_

* * *

You felt ambivalent about leaving Luna alone to go to Maagho, especially after she had fallen ill with a fever the last time you were gone. At the same time, waiting around in the big, empty villa until she finally woke up drove you quite crazy after the first few hours. All the thoughts that you had, the questions that you couldn't get answers for… it was all becoming too much.

So you decided to go, after all. Stood by the pier waiting for the gondola and listened to the boats slicing through the canal water. Watched shoppers and cafe visitors chat with one another. Listened to the sound of the pidgeons humming around your feet. Any sound in the city - no matter how banal - was much better than the ones in your head.

You tried to time your arrival in Maagho to be in the calm after lunch. Weskham was not there, but the bartender gave you an address that the restaurateur had requested to give to you. "He said he'd expected you to come today, and that you could meet him there," he explained.

The address turned out to be the shop of Vivienne Westwood - a renowned Altissian fashion designer that was responsible for making Luna's wedding dress.

You didn't know the bit about Luna's wedding dress before setting foot in front of the shop. Entertainment news wasn't exactly popular in Kingsglaive Headquarters, after all. But when the said wedding dress was right in front of you on the shop display with a plaque helpfully written with, "In memory of the last Oracle, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret," it wasn't so difficult for you to reach a conclusion on your own.

Reading the plaque - and just generally seeing the store display - made the insides of your chest ache, so you took no delay in entering the shop properly. You found Weskham soon enough, having a deep discussion with an older woman with cropped-short grey hair, but he immediately approached you with a warm greeting upon noticing your presence.

"My dear Leonis, I'm so glad you managed to find this place," he said after pulling back from hugging you. Then he gestured towards the lady whom he was talking with earlier. "This is my good friend, Vivienne. I have requested her to help you set up an outfit for a summit with Secretary Claustra."

Your eyebrows raised up high into your forehead. Weskham did say that he had a surprise for you, but this was definitely not what you had in mind. "Um… thank you, but… I was not aware that this was a necessity?"

"Oh?" Weskham raised his eyebrows. "So you do have an outfit already prepared?"

"I do have my uniform," you offered. "That is as formal as it can be, right?"

Both Weskham and Vivienne looked at each other before they returned their attention back to you with a tragic expression.

"If we want this summit to succeed, we need to show neutrality, Leonis," Weskham began patiently. "Having the Oracle's Shield enter the Accordon Ministerial Palace in full Kingsglaive gear is... going to the exact opposite of that."

"Okay. Fair point...," you replied, swallowing hard. You thought back on the dress and high heels that you had to wear at the gala in Insomnia - your dagger wouldn't be able to fit anywhere there. "But how can I still protect-"

"Oh, don't you worry, darling," Vivienne interjected. "We will find something that suits your needs the most. No problem. Now, come here and let me get your measurements..."

You sighed in resignation as the designer grabbed your forearm and pulled you to the back of the shop. From the corner of your eyes, you could see Weskham grinning and waving at you while fixing his monocle.

"Enjoy the experience, my dear!"

* * *

The suit arrived the next morning, just in time before the summit. A special courier gondola delivered it to the villa, and upon opening the box that it was delivered with, you realized that Vivienne had packed in a tie and a pair of shoes as well.

After putting on the suit and its related accessories, you went to Luna's room to show it off. The jacket and slacks were black - a contrast to Luna's white floor-length gown - and the shirt that you wore underneath it was white. A thin chain made of gold fastened the front of the jacket loosely instead of a button.

"So… what do you think?" you asked with a thinly veiled nervousness. What Vivienne and Weskham told you about the importance of appearance had unwittingly gotten to your head, and you couldn't help but feel self-conscious about every little thing. From the way your posture looked in the suit, to the way your dagger - the belts of its sheath tucked discreetly under the black vest - slightly changed the silhouette of the suit jacket… you worried about them all.

Luna didn't immediately answer. Instead, she glided up from the chair in front of her dressing table and walked gracefully towards you, with Pryna following close by her heels. Without a word, she raised both hands to smooth down the lapels of your jacket, then it returned back up to fix the position of your tie. You weren't sure if she intentionally meant it to happen, but you found your muscles relax upon encountering her little touches.

"You look very dashing, my dear Shield," she remarked. At that point, it was difficult to not return her smile.

"Thank you. You look radiant yourself, Your Highness."

Once Luna was done with your tie, you turned and offered one of your arms to her. The gondola that would take you to the Ministerial Palace was already waiting by the pier outside the villa's door. "Shall we?"

Luna's slim arm slipped around yours easily and gracefully, like how royalty should. "Yes, we shall."

* * *

Without any shred of doubt, the First Secretary Camelia Claustra reminded you of your most feared teacher in high school. With perfectly coiffed blonde hair, calculating eyes, and nary a smile, you immediately knew not to mess around with her from the first time you were introduced to each other.

It was also obvious that she couldn't care less whether you were there, standing guard by the door overlooking the First Secretary's office. All of her attention was on Luna.

"Thank you for taking the time to come here, Your Highness," greeted the First Secretary. "I assume your journey from Insomnia must have been difficult."

"Likewise, Your Excellency. Thank you for agreeing to see us despite your busy schedule," replied Luna with a curtsey. "And indeed, it was neither the shortest nor easiest journey. But thanks to the warmth of the Altissians, I managed to recover well."

"That is good to hear. Please, have a seat."

Luna took one of the seats in front of Claustra's desk while the Secretary returned to her own chair. She looked at Luna with a neutral, yet authoritative expression.

"From what I understood, you wish to forge a covenant with the Tidemother," she began. "I assume you are aware of what that wish entails?"

"Yes… the wrath of the sea goddess may be sparked by Her waking. If that happens, I will not be the only one suffering the casualty - the innocent Altissians will be affected as well."

You noticed Luna reaching up to the moon-and-star pendant hanging from her silver necklace. On the other side of the desk, the Secretary cast her eyes down.

"Your brother paid me a visit the other day," she replied. "He told me that the Empire was going to take measures in subduing the Hydraean."

Both you and Luna widened your eyes in surprise. The Secretary continued, "If that will indeed be the case, then it is possible that Altissia will endure massive destructive forces. Perhaps comparable to those that struck Insomnia."

"Indeed… I had no idea that-"

"Then my question to you, Your Highness, is this: why should you be allowed to rouse Leviathan?" The First Secretary interjected further. "If I open the Altar of the Tidemother to you, it will go against the vow that I have taken upon being elected by the people of Accordo. The lives of those people that had entrusted me with their wellbeing will be severely endangered."

Secretary Claustra looked up to stare at Luna directly in the eyes, waiting patiently for her answer. Luna's ocean-blue eyes steeled and she let go of the pendant, dropping her hand down and holding her head high.

"Because the fate of the entire world depends on it," she explained calmly. "My goal in rousing the Hydraean is not for myself. It is for the people of Eos, who will suffer greatly when the darkness of the Scourge comes to engulf our star."

Luna paused for a second to take a breath, then resumed with, "I want to secure the grace of the sea goddess for our True King, so that he may have a chance to save us all. Including the very people that you are trying to protect."

There was a silence that immediately followed Luna's small speech. However, after a moment, Claustra let out a small sigh. "Indeed. We all play a part in the war against darkness that is to come. I shall not deny mine."

The First Secretary then raised up to her feet. "I will grant you access to the Altar of the Tidemother, but under one condition: you must declare your neutrality," she resumed.

"Make a speech to all people in Eos and ensure them that you side for no country: not Lucis-" She paused to glance at you. "-not Accordo, and not even Tenebrae. I will not provide the Empire with a propaganda fodder to legitimize another invasion on our soil."

Luna stayed in her seat. Her two pools of blue were directed straight at the First Secretary's. "I shall do so if the Accordon government will allow me access to the Trident of the Oracle."

This time, you could see a sliver of a smile appeared on the lips of Secretary Claustra. "Very well. Consider it arranged."

"I am in your debt, Your Excellency."

Luna got up and both she and the First Secretary exchanged a respectful bow, concluding the summit.

* * *

The trip back to the villa was far more challenging than the other way around. Despite the very simple reception, it would seem that the press had caught wind of Luna's visit to the Ministerial Palace. By the time you exited the Palace, many journalists had gathered with their equipment and cameras. As soon as you and Luna emerged from the Palace doors, they all began to swarm to your directions.

You were tempted to cast a Wall upon seeing the oncoming horde, but since Luna had agreed on showing neutrality, you held yourself back and had to resort to close-protection instead: making sure that no reporter could get within her private space, while also allowing her to move through the crowd. It was only until you and Luna sat comfortably on the moving gondola did you realize that your eyes were swarmed with fireflies-like patches - most probably from the camera flashes. You rubbed them with both of your hands and let out a groan.

"Man… I think I just gained a _ lot _of respect for the Crownsguard," you lamented. "Pretty sure they had to deal with this a lot more than I do, escorting around the royalties in Insomnia."

When you blinked open your eyes again, Luna was chuckling before turning her attention aside so she could wave at a passing group of children.

"The First Secretary said that she would send a couple of guards to keep a watch on the villa," she muttered afterwards. "I wonder if she meant to do that for my protection, or if she..."

Luna's ocean-blue eyes fell to the floor of the gondola, and you felt your heart ached a little bit. You reached out to one of her hands and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Everything will be okay," you tried to assure her. "I am here with you. Remember?"

Luna tilted her chin up. Her pools of blue met yours for a moment before a smile cracked on her lips, and she nodded in gratitude. You couldn’t help but smile back, cherishing the sight as much as you could before it was no longer possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Behold the Vivienne Westwood [suit](https://www.triads.co.uk/images/products/zoom/1411044960-10198000.jpg).
> 
> I know it’s for men, but none of the women’s suits of Vivienne Westwood has the same nice gold detailing like this one. Shame, really.


	18. A Gentleman Hunter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unhappy with the First Secretary sending in guards to 'protect' Luna, you went to find Weskham. However, you ended up finding someone else waiting at Maghoo...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gladio is back in the picture, baby!

The dial tone barely rang once before it was replaced with a deep voice saying, "Weskham Armaugh speaking. How may I help you?"

"Hey, Weskham. It’s me, Leonis."

"I did recognize your number, my dear." A chuckle. "You did not answer my question, though."

"... Right. Well. So we did meet with the First Secretary today."

"Ah, yes! It was all over the morning news today. Vivienne’s suit fits you beautifully."

You let out a sigh. "Thank you. Now, the problem is… the Secretary’s guards are all over our villa. And one of them is poking a bayonet at one of the bushes in the back garden."

"Ah, that is a rather unfortunate development... Not entirely unexpected, though, I would say."

You narrowed your eyes subconsciously. "Well, I wasn’t even aware that them being here was part of our agreement in the first place…"

A sigh from the other end. "How is the Oracle taking the situation?"

"She’s resting in her room now. A summit with the First Secretary was even more exhausting than communion with an Astral, it would seem."

Yet another sigh. "... Alright, alright. I get the point, Leonis. This is all my fault, and I apologize."

There was a moment's pause, and you could imagine Weskham using it to adjust the position of his monocle. "Why don't you come over to the restaurant later? We'll talk more about how-"

"Great. I’m coming there now."

You ended the call with a tap on your phone screen and took little delay before storming out of the villa.

Back at his traditional Altissian apartment, Weskham stared blankly at his phone for a moment before shaking his greying head. How naive could he be that he ever thought escaping to another continent could spare him from another Leonis antic?

* * *

It was still quite early in the morning, so Maagho was hardly busy. Here and there, you saw shoppers from the market dropped by for a cup of coffee. You made a beeline towards the bar and took a seat on one of the stools before proceeding to take off your stuffy jacket. Meanwhile, your eyes wandered around the restaurant, trying to spot Weskham.

What you spotted instead was someone else who was also familiar to you, idling by a barrel-table with an open book. Either it was a coincidence or you were simply staring too long - but Gladd's amber eyes eventually peered up from his book and caught yours. The acknowledging smile that he made before he stood and approached you somehow still managed to make your heart flutter.

"So, we meet again."

"It appears so, yes."

He took a seat on an empty stool next to you and you couldn’t help but notice that one of his knees barely touched yours. You sighed quietly and put up a wide smile.

“You got a new scar,” you remarked, referring to the horizontal one on his forehead that crossed with his older, eye-crossing scar. “Another difficult hunt?”

“Hmm. Not a hunt. It was… a score that I had to settle.” He returned your smile with a grin. “The other man got it worse than I did, though.”

You chuckled. Part of you wanted to ask if he was always such a show-off in front of girls that he tried to impress, but another part of you was also entertained by his presence. So you merely replied to him, “Well, I’m glad that is the case.”

His amber eyes lingered on yours for a long moment before he offered, “You dress up quite nicely today.”

You raised your eyebrows, and Gladd immediately reiterated - like a good gentleman that he was. “I mean… not that you were dressed badly before. It just… looks more polished right now. I quite like it.”

“No, that is fine. I can understand,” you said, chuckling. “It’s... part of the job that I’m taking at the moment.”

“Ah, I see,” he replied. “I saw it on TV. You were escorting the Oracle on her way out of the Ministerial Palace.”

The smile that you had been wearing ever since seeing him dropped down in an instance. You looked away toward the back of the bar, but you could feel Gladd’s amber eyes were still fixated on you. He leaned in to rest an elbow on the bar counter.

“How long have you been guarding the Oracle?” His baritone voice was calm, careful. “Were you travelling with her when we met at Keycatrich?”

You clicked at your tongue impatiently. “I didn’t know a hunter could be so nosy.”

He didn’t react immediately to your lashing. Instead, he told you calmly, “I am actually not a hunter.”

You turned to glare at him. If you had been calmer, you would have probably tried to figure out what he meant and who he really was. But with your heart thrumming hard inside your ears, all you could think about was how you should get away as far away as you can from him - and fast.

So you stood abruptly from your stool. However, when you reached out to grab at your suit jacket, he took the chance to catch your wrist.

“Look, I’m deeply sorry if I make you feel threatened in any way,” he muttered. “I can explain everything - anything that you may want to know… but not here.”

You stared hard at his amber eyes. “Then keep your explanation to yourself, _ boy_.”

After having forced your hand away from his hold, you quickly paced towards a mooring gondola and never once looked back.

* * *

As soon as the gondola departed, you realized that your hands were shaking. Anger, fear, and everything else in between - all the emotions rose up and made your head warmer and lighter.

But it all could have been worse, you told yourself. You could have told him your real name, and he would have been able to figure out who you were related to.

Or maybe not. Maybe he was just in it for the money. A hunter looking to score a hefty Imperial bounty. Although he did tell you he wasn't a hunter...

As the gondola began mooring against the villa’s pier, you caught the sight of an Accordon guard tipping his distinctive hat respectively at you, and you remembered immediately that you hadn’t even met with Weskham. You let out a deep sigh, denied the guard’s offer to help you step off the gondola, and went straight to the villa's main door. Pulled it open, stepped in, and slammed it closed.

What you did not expect to happen next was being caught in a sudden embrace by the Oracle of Eos herself.

"Would you guess what I just managed to do?" asked Luna upon pulling back.

You were speechless for exactly five seconds. Then your eyes trailed down to the old-model cellphone that she was holding in her hand. "No way…"

She nodded vigorously. The grin that she made next was framed with a thin shade of pink. "It did happen, I assure you. I called Noctis."

"Wow. Congratulations."

You stepped forward to further close the distance between you and Luna. The beats of your heart reached all the way to your eardrums. "So how is the King doing?"

"He’s… doing well, all things considered." Her voice tapered off in the end. "He told me that he had reached Altissia."

"What?" Your eyes widened. “That’s great news! You can finally meet him now.”

Luna didn’t immediately reply. Instead, she gave you a wistful look that made a little part of your heart ache.

"Did you… tell him about what will happen after the covenant with Leviathan, at the very least?"

A small, dry chuckle was all that you got as an immediate reaction.

"How could I bring up such a topic when he made me so happy?"

"Oh, Luna…"

You pulled her into an embrace and didn’t let go until she stopped shivering.

* * *

The weather was perfect on the day of the speech. There were some wisps of cloud, but the sky was mostly clear and blue. You took a moment to breathe in and out the fresh morning air. The sun shone bright and warm on your skin, and on the bobbing reflections of the water in the canal surrounding the plaza before you.

You walked slightly behind Luna as she made her way to the podium. Behind you, the Cathedral of Altissia stood in all its majestic glory. Luna was supposed to wed there, you were told. But then Insomnia was besieged and both the bride and bridegroom were pronounced dead by Niflheim before either of them could reach the altar.

What a poignant way to make a point, then, to broadcast Luna’s speech on this spot. You couldn’t help but admit that - despite her outward cautions to stay neutral in the face of the Empire - First Secretary Camelia Claustra was actually quite ballsy.

The crowd started off small, but eventually, the entire Cathedral square was full of people. When Luna finally reached the podium, people started cheering and clapping. You stood next to the podium, a couple of steps behind her. Scanning the crowd, you noticed a few cameras gleam with red dot light - the broadcast had begun.

“Dear friends,” Luna began. Her gentle voice boomed around the square thanks to the microphone. “I stand before you today with little hope the words I speak… will reach beyond these walls. For slowly, but surely, the Light fades from our world.”

At one point, you noticed someone in the crowd was moving to the front of the crowd. You trained your eyes on his position and was immediately greeted by a familiar pair of deep blue eyes and tousled black hair. Your heart jumped inside your ribcage - and you thought Luna’s might have been as well, judging from the somewhat long pause that she took in her speech.

“... And as it does, the shadows shall loom ever longer until all succumb to the darkness. The darkness that evokes terror, hatred, and sorrow in the hearts of men.”

Noctis’ gaze met yours briefly, but his storm-colored eyes eventually wandered to Luna. And they never left her for the rest of her speech. A groom entranced by his bride.

“The ashes of Lucis… a dream of peace twisted into a nightmare of death and destruction, claiming innumerable lives and leaving myriad souls to suffer.”

Well, there goes the neutrality out of the window, you thought.

Discreetly, you sneaked one hand beneath your suit jacket, ready to withdraw your dagger in case the worst case scenario happened. As you scanned your eyes once more around the square - this time trying to pinpoint the position of the Accordon guards - you spotted instead another familiar pair of amber eyes staring up at you from above the crowd.

“Yet, I beg you, do not surrender to despair. Have faith, for our gods watch over us. By their blessings, by the Stars that light the heavens above, our world will be delivered from the perils of the dark.”

The eye contact didn’t last long, however. A second later, Gladd averted his attention away, and when you followed the line of his sight - it ended right where Noctis was standing. Then the realization hit you like a brick on the face.

Of course. The eagle tattoo, the fact that he was not a hunter…

He must be the first son of House Amicitia - the Shield of the King.

“I stand before you here, in Altissia, to call upon Leviathan, Goddess of the Seas, the spirit of the deep. By the sacred rite, I will commune with the Hydraean.”

The crowd started murmuring. Softly at first, then increasing in volume.

“But first, I offer you my solemn vow. On my honor as Oracle, I will not rest until the darkness is banished from our world and the Light is restored.”

The people openly clapped now. Some of the cameras went to film a sweeping view of the cheering crowd. In the midst of it all, the Oracle and the King of Lucis exchanged an understanding nod.

You searched for a certain pair of amber eyes in the lively crowd one last time before turning around on your heel to follow after Luna.


	19. In the Presence of the King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having recognized your mistake, you sought out Gladio and apologized. In response, he offered you an audience with the king - as well as the rest of the royal retinue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I envision that it would take 19 chapters before we finally got to meet all the chocobros?
> 
> Not really. But did I regret it?
> 
> Eh.

After the speech, once you dropped Luna back at the villa, you immediately left again to visit Maagho. Somehow, you had a feeling that you would find Gladd there, sitting by the same barrel where you had spotted him. 

And your feeling turned out to be correct.

This time, it was your turn to approach him. His amber eyes peered up from under the spine of his book as you sat down across from him and quietly rested your hands on the old wine barrel. The smile that you gave him then was apologetic.

“Sorry for being rude to you the other day,” you began. “I waved you off before listening to what you had to say.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” he replied, closing his book and putting it down next to your hands. “I was in the wrong as well. I shouldn’t have been too blunt.”

You widened your smile slightly, then let out a heavy sigh and tilted your chin down. “I’m… sorry about your father, too... the day Insomnia fell, I went to the Council hall, but… it was already too late.”

He was quiet for several moments. Then you watched as his hand moved from the red leather cover of his book to rest on yours.

“Will you tell us everything that happened in Insomnia?” he asked gently. “All that we heard was bits and pieces from people who fled the battle. Most of them civilians. But if we know what you know… we - Noctis included - will greatly appreciate it.”

Warily, your focus trailed up from his hand back to his amber eyes. The intensity in those eyes stirred a feeling inside your chest that you thought you had lost back in Insomnia. You let out a sigh and flashed him a small smile.

“Shall we start over first before that?” you offered, all the while picking up his hand into a handshake. “Maybe with a proper introduction to each other?”

“Of course. Where are my manners?” He let out an amused chuckle before properly participating in the handshake. “My name is Gladiolus Amicitia. But you can call me Gladio.”

“Nice to meet you, Gladio.”

“And how about you?”

You told him your real first and last names. He chuckled yet again. “I’m almost disappointed now that your name is not actually Leone.”

“Well, you can call me that too if that’s what you prefer,” you said, shrugging.

Gladio seemed to consider it for a moment, then he shook his head. “No. I will call your first name, instead. It’s more... ladylike.”

You were about to open your mouth to retort, but then he picked up your hand and pressed your (scarred, calloused) knuckles against his lips. All words suddenly escaped your brain, then - especially when he muttered your first name in that smooth baritone voice of his.

“Pleasure to meet you, too.”

* * *

To say that you were excited when you returned back to the villa would be an understatement.

You were _ elated_.

It was as if you were stepping in and out of a cloud instead of a gondola. There was a bounce in your steps when you entered the villa, ignoring the Accordon guard that was stationed by the entrance, then up the stairs towards the four-poster bed where Luna was sitting down with her back propped up by a pile of pillows.

“Guess who I just met,” you declared before she could even greet you.

Her ocean-blue eyes blinked slowly. It was obvious that she had just woken up from her nap.

“Who is it? Pray tell me, Leonis.”

“The Shield of the King, Gladiolus Amicitia.” You smiled from ear to ear. “And I’m going to meet with him and the rest of the royal retinue tonight.”

Luna raised both of her eyebrows. “Really? That sounds wonderful indeed.”

The nonchalance in her voice was… a bit alarming. Nevertheless, you were in much too good spirit to be brought down by it, so you simply chuckled and sat down on the bed.

“You don’t get it, do you? That means you can finally meet with the King.” You lifted one of her hands and cupped it with both of your hands. “That’s… something that you’ve always wanted... right?”

You tilted your chin up only to see that Luna’s blue eyes had turned misty. A moment later, she closed them and gently shook her head.

“It… won’t be wise for me to come with you. The Niflheim army is watching my every move.” She opened her eyes again and flashed you a sad smile. “If I go and meet Noctis now, it will only endanger him.”

The elated feeling that you had been having since then fell like a stone in the pit of your stomach. “I’m sure we can find a way to bypass the guards and-”

“I… don’t want to risk it.” Her grasp on your hand tightened when she cut your words. “I have to protect him until the very end, Leonis. It is my duty.”

“But you won’t be able to see him again after tomorrow! Don’t you want to-”

One glance from Luna’s pained eyes made you close your mouth again. After a moment of silence, you eventually relented.

“... Alright, if you say so,” you sighed. “Would you like to me to deliver a message to him, at the very least? I mean, I know that you have both the phone and Umbra already for that purpose, but...”

At least that invited Luna to chuckle a little. Then she raised her hand to cup at your cheek and caress it with her thumb.

“You are a light to my fleeting life, my dear Shield,” she said. “Please pass my love and greetings to Noctis.”

You tried your best not to let the warmth behind your eyes spill out while forcing a smile back at her. “I will. Don’t worry.”

* * *

Despite having the same name, Leville Hotel in Altissia felt like a completely different hotel than the one in Lestallum. While the interior looked outdated in the Lestallum hotel, everything in its Altissia branch looked polished and well-cared for. Even the receptionists by the entrance wore perfectly pressed uniforms.

A suitable hotel, then, for a royal retinue.

But for you - well, you felt a bit like a fish out of water.

You told one of the receptionists that you were an expected visitor, and after mentioning the room number that Gladio told you, the receptionist asked you to wait in the sitting area. You had been sitting at one of the sofas with your back straight. All the while, your eyes inevitably followed several well-dressed patrons that walked in or out of the hotel.

It felt almost like your guard shifts back at the Citadel. Only your attire was much more formal, back then. And you were also not hounded by anxieties of meeting a new king - who may or may not know that you had been sleeping with his fiancée.

Fortunately, the wait didn’t last very long. Gladio showed up within minutes after the receptionist made a call to the room for you, jogging down the red-carpeted stairs. The sight of him in plain black sleeveless shirt and jeans made you relax considerably. But then you realized just how well the outfit showed off his well-sculpted muscles and you had to force yourself to look away.

“Hey, there you are,” he greeted upon seeing you standing and approaching him. “Come on in. Everyone’s waiting upstairs.”

“Everyone, huh?” you repeated before breathing in and out deeply. Gladio let out a chuckle and gently patted your shoulder.

“Don’t worry. None of us bites. Not on a first meeting, at least…”

Gladio then flashed you a subtle wink. In fact, the gesture was so subtle that if you blinked, you would have probably missed it. Nevertheless, it was enough to warm up your cheeks and even a little part of your neck.

The hotel door opened directly to a sitting room of a two-room suite. Red was a thematic color there, represented by the upholstery and lampshades. A young man with glasses sat on the armless chair by one end of the coffee table, while an even younger, blond-haired man sat on the one on the other end. The King himself sat on the biggest couch, set across the table from the door. His downcast eyes looked up directly at you upon your entrance.

You froze for a second, then quickly gathered yourself and properly made a salute. “Kingsglaive Leonis, at your service… Your Majesty.”

You looked up and expected… something, anything, but for the young king to look away with a look of indifference. Yet, that was exactly what you got.

“Yeah… whatever,” he muttered.

Slightly taken aback, you glanced at Gladio as he was entering the room and sitting down next to Noctis. From one side of the coffee table, you heard the bespectacled man let out a sigh, “You may be at ease now, Leonis. Please, take a seat.”

You relaxed your stance and sat down on the only armless, backless couch in the room. The blond-haired man offered his hand for you to shake. Upon closer inspection, you could see the many freckles on his face, and how bright and friendly his smile was.

“Heya. Prompto Argentum here. That’s Ignis Scientia,” he introduced himself before gesturing to the bespectacled man - who nodded in confirmation. “And the others… well, I guess you already know Gladio and Noctis.”

“You can call the Royal Poutiness here Noct. Like the rest of us.” Gladio joined in, playfully slapping Noctis’ upper back as he himself plopped down on the couch next to him. “That might make him less nervous.”

“I’m _ not _ nervous,” chimed Noctis back, all the while rubbing at his shoulder in apparent annoyance. Then he let out a sigh and turned to you. “But, yeah… you can call me Noct, if that’s what you want.”

“Okay…”

You nodded, all the while trying to drill the name inside your head in place of ‘Your Majesty’. You highly suspected that it was going to be just as difficult as when you started calling Luna with her nickname...

Across from you, Ignis was pushing his glasses up the long, slim bridge of his nose. “Now that we are all introduced, I suppose we can start,” he began, all the while aiming his brilliant green eyes at you. “You are the niece of the Marshal, Cor Leonis, is that right?”

You nodded. Hearing Ignis’ question reminded you again why you were there. “Yes... I’m one of the Glaives that were on active duty on the day of the peace treaty signing.”

“Okay, wait… just hold on,” interjected Prompto. His blue eyes looked pleadingly at Ignis. “I… don’t think I can just listen to her story just like this... can we at least please have your cookies, Ignis? Maybe with a cup of tea?”

Ignis let out a barely audible sigh. “Fine, I suppose cookies and tea can never hurt…” He glanced first at Noctis before fixing his eyes back to you. “Apologies for this interruption. May I know what kind of tea would you like to have, Miss Leonis?”

You couldn’t help but blink. “Uh… black tea would be nice.”

“Very well. I shall prepare it. The jar with cookies should be somewhere in the rucksack, Prompto.”

“Yay. I will get it!”

“Hey, careful with the rucksack - don’t let the crumbles fall all over inside!”

At the same time, Ignis, Gladio, and Prompto stood up and went to different directions around the suite. Leaving you and Noctis alone in the sitting room.

You threw him a small, reluctant smile - which was returned in kind. Then he ran a hand up to the back of his head. The gesture made his black hair spike up even more.

“So… I heard that you’ve been travelling with Luna from Insomnia?”

“... Yes, that’s correct.”

“Right, so… how is she?”

“She’s doing quite well, Your Ma- Noct.” You paused to close your eyes and mentally slap yourself. “Um… she told me to send you her love and greetings.”

“... She did, huh?”

You opened your eyes again and saw that Noctis’ eyes were once again downcast. A faint streak of pink appeared across his cheeks.

It felt almost rude, staring at him while he was blushing like that. So you averted your gaze away, all the while clearing your throat. Trying to find a way to properly and efficiently word what you wanted to say next.

"Luna told me that... you had been exchanging messages..."

"Ah. Yeah. With... Umbra." He paused to nod. "We... tried calling recently. On the phone, I mean."

"... Right."

You somehow managed to look up concurrently with Noctis. Before you knew it, his storm-colored eyes were locked with yours - and you felt your heart beat louder against your ribcage. You licked at your lips and thought of asking something more, but he opened his mouth first.

"When did you start calling Luna with-?"

Before Noctis could finish his question, Ignis made an entrance into the living room with a trayful of teacups - two of which he deftly handed to both you and Noctis. You thanked him and took a long sip from your black tea in an attempt to calm down your heart. From a corner of your eyes, you noticed Noctis gazed away - a tint of pink was still present on his cheeks. You let out a mildy frustrated sigh.

Well, not like it mattered much if he knew, was it? After all, Luna was going to...

As you were just setting your teacup back on its saucer, Prompto and Gladio walked in. The blond was virtually bouncing to the couch next to you and then offering an opened jar of cookies.

“Try one, Leonis! Ignis made them himself.”

“Really?”

You glanced at Ignis before picking up one cookie. Then you took a bite, and - oh gods. Your eyes rolled up before they closed completely. “This is… really really good.”

A small smile appeared on the corners of Ignis’ lips. “Thank you.”

Gladio laughed. “Take your time. We got all night to listen to your story.”

Having been unwound by both the tea and cookies, you inevitably nodded. Half an hour, three cups of tea, and an uncountable number of cookies later, you were grateful for Prompto to suggest tea and cookies in the first place. Recounting your last 24 hours in Insomnia was much more manageable with them.

“... Damn…” Gladio’s voice was the first one to rise after you were done. “So Drautos was a traitor all along?”

On the armrest of the couch, you noticed Gladio’s fist tighten as if he had the urge to destroy something - anything. It occurred to you then that the lives of both his father and Noctis’ had been taken by the same man.

“No wonder the Empire’s invasion could slip by with minimal suspicion…,” pondered Ignis out loud. His bespectacled eyes turned to you. “So, what happened afterwards? How did you manage to escape Insomnia with the Oracle?”

"Well…"

You licked your lips. Your throat felt dry suddenly, and the teapot had been empty for a while. Nevertheless, the three pairs of waiting eyes directed at you encouraged you to continue.

"... There was this Glaive called Nyx Ulric…"

It came as a surprise to you that you could recount Nyx's last heroic deeds with a steady and clear voice. You skipped the more personal parts, of course, but the entire talk gave you less anguish than you would have expected. The tea and cookies helped soften your tongue, for sure - but the three pairs of eyes that were looking intently and patiently at you helped calm your nerves as well.

At the end of your story, you rose from your seat and moved closer to where Noctis was sitting. He looked up to you, slightly puzzled, just as you pulled out the makeshift necklace made from an elastic cord that you had been wearing underneath your shirt. Carefully, you held the pendant of your necklace with one hand and knelt on one knee, before opening your palm to reveal the Ring of Lucii in it.

In the suddenly silent room, you could hear Ignis gasp. “That’s…”

“... the Ring of Lucii,” finished Noctis. His storm-colored eyes looked at you with an unreadable expression.

“A loyal Glaive died so this ring could be brought to you, Your Majesty,” you said, ignoring the young King’s preferred nickname for now. “Your father as well… even Messengers of the Astrals strove to ensure that it is delivered to you safely.”

You brought the ring closer to Noctis. “Please, take it. And use its powers to take back your throne.”

Your eyes were fixed on the King’s. His eyes were cast down on the ring in your palm. A knot was visible in between his brows. The entire room was silent with suspense and everyone was holding their breath.

“... No, I will not take the ring.”

A gasp. It took you a moment to realize that the sound actually came from you.

“I mean… I will take it, eventually. But… it has to be when we are back again safely in Insomnia.”

Noctis looked away as if he was ashamed. But the latter part was something that you realized only later. At that moment in time, however, all that you could see and hear were flashbacks from the past. The body of King Regis falling to the granite floor. Nyx’s burning kiss. Luna's fever-cracked voice when she begged you to take her to Altissia. You wrapped your fingers tightly around the ring and stood straight up on your feet.

“How dare you…” Your voice cracked and shuddered with anger, but you continued regardless, “Insomnia is gone. There is nothing there except darkness and deaths and daemons.

“If you really are our king, then you should do something for _ everyone _ that has lost their lives for _ you _ and Lucis!”

Noctis’ eyes snapped open and searched for you, but by that time you were already midway towards the door. Slamming it close behind you, you paused to catch up with your erratic breaths, with your hand gripping tightly at the Ring of Lucii. Once your breathing calmed down slightly, you wasted no time in dashing down the corridor and exiting the hotel.


	20. Diplomat's Son

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladio caught up to you as you stormed off Leville Hotel, and the two of you ended up discussing family, death, and military life amid the serene nighttime Altissia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One last pit stop before the Altar scene, guys.
> 
> The title of this chapter is from [a song](https://youtu.be/5KpjR4iurWw) by Vampire Weekend.
> 
> Aside from Luna, I think Gladio is another character that Square forgot to develop lol. So I made this chapter as a fix-it to explore a little bit who Gladio really is.

_ “To offer it to you would be cruel _

_ When all I want to do is use, use you.” _

You paced on for a while after exiting Leville Hotel, past the narrow path along a canal where bobbing lights were reflected on the water. Eventually, you stopped by a bridge and leaned onto one of its railings to catch your breath. Your head was beginning to swim while your eyes were dotted with lights. You closed your eyes and slowly descended to your knees, trying your best to calm nausea that was budding in the pit of your stomach.

Then, out of nowhere, you heard someone call out your first name.

You felt someone pick you up from under your arm next. When you opened your eyes, you half expected to see a pair of ice-blue eyes - but that was not the case. Instead, Gladio’s amber eyes looked back at you with a knot between them.

“Are you alright?” His baritone voice was laced with worry. You nodded weakly.

“I’m fine, just… a bit nauseous is all.”

“That doesn’t sound good... Here, hold on to me. I’ll walk back with you.”

You wanted to decline his offer, but the moment you made another attempt to open your mouth, you felt faint and nauseous again. So you resigned yourself to holding Gladio’s waist as support while you walk. To all the world, you must have looked like one of the many couples that wandered the achingly beautiful streets of Altissia at night.

“I want to apologize about Noctis,” he said after a few steps. “I can assure you he’s working as hard as he can - as a King. Since Insomnia’s fall, we’ve been travelling all over Lucis collecting the royal arms and taking on trials of the Astrals.”

You wanted to ask if that was the reason why he got the additional scar on his forehead. But looking up to Gladio at that moment, with his eyes tempering to molten gold under the soft moonlight, you couldn’t help but stare and let him continue.

“But… it hasn’t been very easy for him,” he resumed. “The death of King Regis hit him hard.”

You managed to hum. “I can’t even begin to imagine.”

“... Yeah. For someone who was not a soldier, I guess this kind of things takes a while.”

The city was quiet all around you. Even the pigeons barely made a noise, curling up on the small stoops just under the roofs. You stared up at them, all the while thinking back on how Gladio’s hand had fisted upon hearing Drautos’ betrayal.

“And how about you?” you asked eventually. “Your father died in the siege as well. How are you handling it?”

You heard him sigh. “I think the best way to handle this sort of thing is to move on forward,” he replied. “Besides, for an Amicitia, it is a duty to die as a King’s Shield. My father wouldn’t have wanted me or my sister moping around for something he was meant to do in the first place.”

“... I see.”

As soon as you closed your mouth, you felt lightness invade your head again and closed your eyes. Next to you, Gladio stopped.

“Hey… you okay?” The worry came back to his deep voice. His hand went up to massage you gently on your shoulder. You shuddered and stepped forward to avoid his touch.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” you attempted to use your firmest voice, but couldn’t help but evade his eyes. “... I think I’m quite okay now. I can find my way back.”

You mustered the courage to look up to his amber eyes. You felt like you should at least do as much to show your gratitude. A small smile was forced on your lips. “Thank you for coming after me.”

Gladio was quiet for a moment. You tried to read his expression but came up with nothing. Then, at one point, he relaxed into a shrug.

“Alright, if that is really what you want,” he replied with a more tranquil smile than yours. “Is it okay if I at least catch you a gondola? I would worry less that you would fall from a bridge somewhere.”

You chuckled without really meaning to. “Sure. Thanks again.”

“Don’t sweat it. Us fellow Shields gotta get each other’s back, right?”

You reluctantly nodded. “Yeah, I suppose so.”

* * *

The next five minutes saw you sitting on a bench by a pier, waiting for a gondola to pass by. Gladio had gone to look at the timetable and when he returned, he took a seat next to you.

“There should be one coming in a few minutes,” he announced, then he started rummaging in his pocket. “Here. It can help with your nausea.”

You turned to see Gladio offering a potion bottle. You took it from his hand, thanked him, and popped open the bottle to sip at the content. The cooling effect of the potion was felt directly in your belly.

“Sorry if I upset you with what I said earlier, by the way,” he said next. “It must be hard, losing your entire squad in the siege.”

You sighed into your half-empty bottle. “It was quite hard, yeah… We lost so many good men.”

“... By ‘good men’, did you actually mean the loyal Glaives?” he asked after a moment’s pause. “Or is it Nyx Ulric?”

You went quiet for several moments. Your mouth opened once but then closed again before you ended up chuckling. “I didn’t know I was being too obvious...”

From the corner of your eyes, you saw Gladio shrug. “I don't think the other three noticed anything if that's what you're worried about.”

You hummed. “You're quite observant, huh?” you remarked. Having your nausea calmed by the potion made you feel a bit more chatty. “Have you ever been on the frontline, by any chance?”

“Just once. I was stationed in a base in northern Cleigne for a year, near the Galahdian border,” he answered with a smile. “Totally pales to your experience, I assume.”

"By a long mile, yeah." You paused to chuckle. "We had a nickname for guys like you: the diplomat's sons."

"Because we got our family strings pulling us away from danger zones?" he asked, all the while folding his arms in front of his chest. "Sure, I've heard it before."

You peered at him curiously. "And what do you think of it?"

"Well, now... nothing, really," he said with a shrug. "I mean, it used to affect me more when I was younger. But now I realized that it is the truth, and it doesn't change much of what I think of myself and my family. I'm proud of being an Amicitia."

At the last sentence, he looked straight towards the canal. Your gaze lingered on him for a moment before you finally turned to follow his line of sight. A mother duck was swimming on the calm surface of the canal, surrounded by her four ducklings.

"I went to the frontline for the first time when I was 18," you blurted next. "I thought it was the only thing I could do to make my uncle proud."

You didn't have to turn to sense his amber eyes on you. "And did you achieve your goal?"

A grimace formed on your lips. "I'm starting to think it's actually not a very realistic goal to have, to be honest..."

"Ah." A chuckle, and Gladio turned his attention away again. "I know exactly what you mean."

You raised an eyebrow at him. "Do you really?"

"Yep. A lesson I learned on the day I got this scar." He pointed to the scar across his forehead. "Actually, the Marshal was with me, too, that day. As some sort of a guide, and a mentor."

"Really? That sounds... intense."

"I guess intense could describe it, yeah."

For the next several minutes, you and Gladio sat leaning on the bench, quietly watching the bobbing lights of the canal. In the meantime, you gulped down the rest of the potion and placed the empty bottle down by your feet. Another peaceful night in Altissia, you couldn’t help but think. No wonder so many poets and artists were so smitten by the city.

“To be honest, when you knelt in front of Noctis back in the hotel - that was quite intense, too,” confessed Gladio at one point. “It looked so... surreal. Like something out of a fairy tale.”

You chuckled. “Well, if it’s really something from a fairy tale, my gender and Noctis' should be switched.”

He hummed. “Maybe. But that would have made it less attractive.”

You felt your heart jump to your throat. Turning aside, it occurred to you just how close the distance between you and Gladio was on the bench. Casually, he draped one arm over the backrest behind you, increasing the closeness even more. The warmth of his skin was noticeable even though it barely touched your shoulders.

And you noticed his scent as well: leather-like with a touch of spices from the cookies that you both had eaten back in the hotel. You held back your breath and licked at your lips.

“Well, you don’t… look half bad yourself, to be honest.”

“Yeah?” Gladio purred, leaning in even closer. “That’s good to hear.”

He kissed you on your lips once, and then twice and thrice. You returned the gesture only twice, fingers trailing up to the back of his nape. There were mere strands of hair there. No braids whatsoever.

Sighing, you decided to pull back. His lips followed you, but he stopped and lingered some millimeters away. He wouldn’t do anything you didn’t want to do, you sensed. Yet, at the same time, your eyes couldn’t stray away from his lips, and your brain was heady from his warmth and scent.

The sound of water splashing against the pier caught your attention, and you slowly opened your eyes wider.

“The gondola is here,” you announced, quietly hoping that he didn’t notice your uneven breath.

“I see,” was all Gladio said. His voice was even deeper than usual, and his amber eyes were dilated with want. Nevertheless, he took your free hand and gently guided you up from the bench and towards the edge of the pier.

“Careful, it’s slippery,” he warned. “Here, hold on to me.”

You were no longer nauseous or lightheaded, yet you found yourself following his guidance to the dot. The inside of his palm was calloused from battles, while his grip was warm and steady as he guided you to step off the pier and onto the gondola’s passenger cabin.

Once seated, you looked up to him and noticed that his amber eyes were looking down at you with an intensity that you didn’t expect to encounter after leaving Insomnia. Gradually, you felt his grasp on your hand loosen. Then, just as the gondola began to unmoor, he leaned in to quickly kiss the tip of your fingers before letting go completely.

“I will wait for you to get over Nyx Ulric,” he said, calling out your first name. “Even if it will take 10 or more years!”

You felt your heart jolt up yet again. Forming a cone out of both your hands, you shouted back jokingly, “Where are you going to wait?!”

A moment’s pause, and then, “You know where to find me in this city!”

“... Okay!”

The gondola slowly drove away, putting more and more distance between you and the King’s Shield. You hid your face in your hands, breathing the excitement in and out of your lungs while warm guilt was beginning to spread behind your eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel bad for Gladio now. Please send help.


	21. A Wedding and a Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luna went on with the rites to request covenant with Leviathan, and you soon discovered that you'd rather die than let harm come to her way - be it from a goddess or the Accursed.
> 
> Thankfully, a familiar someone appeared bearing a helpful gift...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song suggestion for (the second half of) this chapter: [Quelqu’un Ma Dit](https://youtu.be/3kwt6DaOuXc) by Carla Bruni.
> 
> To be absolutely honest, I planned and wrote this entire work just for the scenes in this chapter. Somehow, 50k+ words later, here we are finally…
> 
> I regret nothing.

On the day of the covenant with Leviathan, you once again put on the suit from Vivienne Westwood. The morning was filled with scattered showers, however. As you stood on the gondola, holding an umbrella above the Oracle, you couldn’t help but wish that could wear your hooded Glaive jacket.

“The Tidemother is having a mood, isn’t she?” you muttered - to which Luna chuckled.

“I suppose she is able to sense that we are about to pay her a visit.”

“Right. She doesn’t seem very… welcoming.”

You tilted your chin up and could see the silhouette of the Cathedral of Altissia from beyond the mist. _ Not so far now… _ “Maybe we should just cancel the whole thing.”

“Oh, Leonis…”

You looked down and immediately saw two pools of ocean-blue peered up to you from under the edge of the black umbrella.

“You’re starting to sound a lot like Ravus,” Luna pointed out. Then she sighed. “I wish he could be here with us…”

“Unfortunately, it’s kind of difficult to have him here when he has an entire fleet to command.”

You placed a hand on her shoulder. A smile was forced upon your lips. “I guess you're stuck with only me today.”

Luna forced up a smile of her own and shook her head. Tears began to well on her wide blue eyes. She brought your hand up from her shoulder to her cheek, and you knelt down next to her gondola seat.

“I am forever grateful that the Astrals brought you to me, Leonis,” she said. “And I’m glad that... I will face this last covenant... with the one person I really consider, in the entire Eos... as my true friend.”

“There is no greater honor, Your Highness.”

You leaned in to kiss the back of her hand. Chaste, and valiant. Just how a Shield should appear to be in the eyes of the entire Eos.

Slowly, you stood back up to your guard post, all the while still holding the umbrella. This time, you felt more grateful that you weren’t wearing your Glaive jacket. If a stray tear ever escaped to your cheek, you could always blame the rain.

* * *

At the Altar of the Tidemother, you stood back as the entire rite of handing over the Trident of the Oracle was undergone. By the time the rite was over, you and Luna were left alone. There were no reporters or cameramen today - at least not that you could see - as most of the city’s population had been evacuated. Instead, there were Niflheim airships standing by all around the Altar. The rain had concluded as well, leaving the air dry but balmy, with lights of the sun scattering from the small partings in the cloudy sky.

From where you stood, you watched Luna walked with the Trident towards the center of the Altar. It directly faced the holy pool of Leviathan, so blue that you couldn’t see what lied in its depth. When she stabbed the Trident on the cobblestone floor, the weapon glowed soft golden, and a soft breeze blew at the hem of her floor-length white gown.

“It is I, Lunafreya, blood of the Oracle,” she exclaimed. “Goddess of the Sea, I beseech you: enter into this covenant that the King might reclaim the Stone!”

The soft breeze picked up, and the calm water of the pool turned erratic. At one point, the water blasted up into the sky - and the grand form of Leviathan made its appearance. Howling and screeching in the language of the Astrals at the Oracle.

“Luna!”

You rushed ahead towards the crumbling stairs, but Luna raised her free hand: a signal for you to stop.

“I know what you must know - that the King of Kings is to drive the darkness from our star.”

You saw Leviathan cast two water blasts and waited no more, warping ahead towards the Altar and casting a Wall to protect Luna. The stone structures around you took direct hits instead and crumbled down into the water. When the Hydraean spoke next, you felt like you heard it directly inside your head - and you actually understood it.

“_B__lasphemous ingrates, all men, quick to forget the ages their goddess stood watch!_”

You gritted your teeth. Thoughts of escape flitted by in your head - if the Astral wasn’t going to lend Her powers, then why bother staying? However, your attention was quickly averted when Luna placed a hand on your shoulder.

“Lower down your Wall, please, Leonis,” she muttered before stepping forward ahead of you.

Raising her voice, she resumed after your Wall was dissolved, “It is in receiving mercy that men offer praise, and in shedding grace that gods solicit worship.”

“_I__nsufferable sacrilege!_”

Before you could react, Leviathan opened Her massive jaws and struck down at the Altar, sending you scrambling to keep balance. Luna stood erect, however, and raised the Trident. A tall pillar of golden light formed shortly after, similar to the one you saw in Angelgard - and crashed down at the goddess. The Hydraean immediately withdrew with a shriek.

“I vow the King will prove himself worthy!” declared the Oracle.

“_If he proves unworthy, then the Feeding shall resume until the last speck is devoured forever..._”

Above the holy pool, Leviathan raised Her majestic head as if reaching to the sky.

_ “Then let the covenant be forged.” _

From beyond the skyline of Altissia, a wall of water rose and rose until it reached above rooftops. You couldn’t help but let out a gasp.

_ “Heaven and Earth, High and Deep, Birth and Return…” _

Leviathan’s chanting was effectively interrupted when one of the airships opened fire. The goddess let out an ear-piercing howl before ascending out of the water and crashing into a part of the city. With Her ascent, the sea, as well as the buildings, roads, and other structures flew up into the air. Even the large Niffs airships got carried away by the trailing gusts, forming a deadly cyclone that the sea goddess maintained in a deadly dance.

“Luna! Watch out!”

You stepped up and cast another protective Wall back up. But after being hit by one, two, and then three literal brick walls consecutively, it didn’t take long for the spell to crack. You cursed under your breath.

“We have to get out of here! Now!” you announced, but you could see from your peripheral view that Luna was shaking her head.

“No! I need to assist Noctis!”

“What do you mean?! He’s not-”

You stopped midway with your sentence as soon as you saw flashes of warp from far away, going all over Leviathan’s massive limbs. The goddess let out another long, painful wail. Then She turned midair and struck one of her fins towards a black dot that you assumed was Noctis, sending him hurtling down towards one of the floating ruins.

“No…!”

You brandished your curved dagger and thought of warping away to help the King. However, much to your horror, Leviathan cast yet another water blast. With a curse under your breath, you jumped aside and got yourself between the assault and Luna.

“Leonis!!”

You gasped and coughed sharply as the blast hit your arms and torso. As you rolled to your side on the stone altar, you saw Luna pick up the Trident with a determined expression. The golden pillar appeared once again, this time surrounding her form.

On the other side of the holy pool, where Noctis laid hapless on a ruined part of the city, you saw the second golden pillar shone brightly. 

By the time you turned around again, you saw Luna collapsing on her knees. Deftly, you dashed forward to catch her before she hit the ground. As you did, the Trident flew away from her grasp and floated directly to where Noctis was. He was no longer lying helpless on a city ruin but instead floating up in the air. Rows and rows of royal arms, glinting blue like a dozen warping Glaives, rotated around him protectively.

“The King of Kings,” you uttered with awe. “Is that your doing, Luna?”

She nodded weakly. “I have awakened the powers of the Kings. They should be able to help him now.”

Then Luna moved to stand. But before she could take a step, her entire body fell down again, being rocked by a string of harsh coughs.

“Luna…!”

You were just about to pick her up and warp away when an incoming dropship landed behind the Altar. You turned around to see none other than the Niflheim Chancellor strolling casually up the stone stairs of the Altar.

“My, my. So we have the bride, the bridegroom… and the Ring Bearer,” announced Ardyn. A smug smile decorated his expression while he was fixing the position of his fedora hat. Then there was a blink of red light, and he was once again holding the same sword that he had used on you back in the Disc of Cauthess.

“Shall the wedding begin, then?”

“You…”

You gritted your teeth and tightened your grip on your dagger’s hilt as your entire being shook with anger. With a flick of a wrist, you reappeared in a flurry of blue lights, slashing down your dagger at the Chancellor once, and then twice. Ardyn blocked both attacks - his sword glowed with an eerie red and purple lights as it clashed with your blade.

“Ah, and here I thought we were finally going to be civil with each other,” he commented. “Perhaps if you just cool down your head a little...”

The Chancellor pushed you forward and, relieving one hand from his sword’s hilt, sent a powerful blast of dark purple ray at your direction. You could barely cast a protective spell when it hit you square in your chest, sending you flying off the Altar - and down to the waters below.

* * *

_“I've been told that Time slips away_  
_like a rotten scoundrel  
who cloaks himself in our sorrows.  
But somebody told me that you still love me.  
Somebody told me you never stopped loving me.  
Can it be true?”_

Your descent after breaking the surface of the water was slow. All noises and sights were far away, distorted into something muffled or indistinct. Inherently, you knew that you should stop yourself from falling. To kick at the water and pull yourself up to the surface. But you could do none of it, for some reason. Your limbs didn’t feel like they were yours to control, while your eyes were heavy.

Rubbles and debris fell all over you, like artefacts raining down from the heavens. An airship part fell not far above your feet. Underwater, it all looked like a dream. You closed your eyes.

And when you opened them again, you were no longer descending headlong into the bottom of the ocean. Instead, you were standing at a party. A rather fancy one, to boot, with waiters going around offering champagne in tall glass flutes. Here and there, men in black suits and women in long, floor-length gowns passed by in twos, dancing. Their movements reminded you of twirling falling autumn leaves. From far away, you could see a glimpse of Caelum Via’s Royal Aquarium.

But none of those sights was in any way deserving a second glance than the one currently approaching you.

"Nyx…," you voice came out quivering. "Is it really you?"

"The one and only, baby."

Nyx's smirk was as playful, his eyes were glinting as mischievous as you remembered when you saw him emerging from the dancing crowd. He was wearing his formal Kingsglaive uniform. One that he wouldn't have worn on the frontline, but would wear for a formal event - just like this one. The edges of his ice-blue eyes softened slightly when he picked up one of your hands. "How have you been doing?"

"Not really great, to be honest," you replied, smiling. "But I'll manage."

You looked down and around yourself, and immediately realized that you were wearing the same dress as the one you wore in the peace treaty's gala party. A slight chill ran down your spine.

"Nyx… why are we here?" You searched for his eyes, but he was looking down at your hand.

"My one big regret in life is that… I never dared to ask you to dance in that gala party in Caelum Via," he said, finally looking up. "So I asked the gods if I could relive it, and I think they are granting it."

You furrowed your eyebrows, then laughed out dryly. "Wait, so… all of this is actually _ your _ dream? And I'm actually part of it?"

Nyx laughed as well. "Seriously? You're trying to get all philosophical on me now?" He paused to pull your left hand up to his shoulder and take your right hand in his left one.

"Come on. Just dance with me. Please?" His breath brushed against your lips, and you couldn’t help but sigh. And those piercing, pleading eyes...

How could you say no?

"... Alright, fine."

Soon enough, you found yourself and Nyx twirling and spinning along with the other couples. One dark leaf among the glittering and colorful flurry. His hands never left your hand and waist except once, when he let go of you for a spin.

“This feels so… surreal,” you remarked, chuckling. “I didn’t even know you could dance so well.”

He laughed. “Well, I got a lot of free time now that I’m dead.”

“Right... So what else have you been doing except learning to dance?”

“Oh, you know. The usual. Watching over Lib and Crowe, peeking at you in the shower…”

“Ew!”

You swatted at his upper arm. He laughed, spun you around yet again, and then guided both your arms to rest on his shoulders. He leaned in next, and you felt his forehead resting against yours. You continued on dancing like that, with his hands on your waist and your fingers on the back of his nape. Slow and close.

“So you see everything, basically?” you asked quietly. “Including the kisses, and…”

He flashed a small smile and shook his head. “Nah. Not those. I don’t feel that it’s my right…,” he replied with a sigh. “It’s ‘until death do us part’, after all. And we weren’t even married yet.”

Then, gradually, the music slowed and changed. You leaned in your head on his shoulder. The tassels from his jacket tickled at your cheek. The soft blue light from the aquarium shone down on the two of you. Gradually, people started to leave the dance floor, giving the two of you even more space.

"I've missed this," you murmured. "And I missed _ you, _Nyx."

"I missed you too..."

You felt his hold on you tightened. You sighed and hugged him back. Closing your eyes, you tried to enjoy the feeling of being in his embrace. However, there was no warmth there. You realized then that this dream would soon end.

"Hey, Nyx…"

"Hmm?"

"I just want to say…" You hesitated for a moment. "Fuck you. You died way too quickly. I can’t not think of you now whenever a decent man or woman shows an interest in me."

He chuckled. “Well, as the wise men say: sorry not sorry, babe.”

You replied with a huff. “And, there’s also another thing…”

“Yeah?”

“... I love you, Nyx.”

You felt him smile even if you couldn't physically see it.

"I love you, too," he replied, calling your first name. "But... as much as I would have liked it, you can't stay here."

"I know." You ran your fingers along his braids, gently pulling at the roots - and felt nothing. "I have a duty to do."

“Yeah… I got one little thing that may help with that.”

You opened your eyes to Nyx tilting your chin up and kissing you full on your lips. When he pulled back, you felt different sensations like warmth and tingling spreading from where he had kissed to the rest of your body.

When you looked questioningly at him, Nyx only gave you one of his smartass smirks, saying, "Go and save the world, babe."

You blinked, and once you opened your eyes once again, you found yourself still inside the water. Ruins of Altissia fell in a slow-motion all around you. Among the gently floating debris, you saw your curved dagger - its blade glinting in the reflection of sunlight. You kicked against the water to capture it and then flung it upwards to the water surface.

* * *

It took you a couple of warp attempts until you finally reached outside the water. With a flurry of lights and crystal, your form appeared midair, drenched from head to toe. Upon seeing the Altar - on which a figure in black coat was standing and brandishing a knife - you opened your free hand and let go of a powerful lightning blast. The blast hit Ardyn square on his back, sending him flying down the stairs of the Altar. You tossed your dagger after him next and landed mostly on your feet between the Chancellor and the Oracle. Static electricity enveloped your body and you could feel magic sing in your bloodstream.

Your magic was back in full force, including the elemancy.

All because of a single kiss from a ghost.

As unusual as the experience was, you had other things to be concerned about at that point. So you wasted no time to crouch down near Luna. "Luna! Are you okay?? Did you get hurt??"

To your relief, Luna shook her head. "I'm fine, but how about you? You took quite a long fall..."

You were just about to open your mouth to answer, but both your attentions were averted by the sudden loud wail of Leviathan. You turned around just in time to see Noctis brandish the Trident of the Oracle and used the weapon to sever along the long body of the Hydraean. The torrential gush of water that came out of Her gaping wound went straight to the Altar, so you deftly jumped to your feet and cast a protective Wall - then a row of ice-wall beyond it, just to be safe.

Once the gallons and gallons of water was no longer falling on you and Luna, you saw the body of Noctis collapsing midair. Cursing, you warped ahead to catch him, then flicked your dagger back to the Altar to warp back to where you came from.

“Noctis!”

The moment you reappeared on the Altar, Luna scrambled towards Noctis' unconscious form. Her hands glowed golden on both sides of his head as she touched her forehead to his, muttering the healing spell.

Letting out a grateful sigh, you pulled back to give Luna more room. However, shortly after, you could hear someone clapping behind your back. It prompted you to form a stance, with your unsheathed dagger ready in your hand. Ardyn had made it back up the stairs, wearing one of his smuggest smirks.

"Beautifully executed, my dear Glaive," he commented, all the while putting his fedora hat back on. "I would have loved to stay to the end, but I'm afraid I have to evacuate… for now."

The hum of his approaching dropship was ultimately masked by the loud screech from Leviathan. You turned around and was immediately struck with horror as the sea goddess summoned numerous cyclones from the waters of Her holy pool. A couple of them were making their way towards the Altar.

You thought of warping away - but how could you manage that when you had to carry both Luna and Noctis at the same time? As you struggled with a solution, a bright light appeared in the water just below the Altar. Jutting rocks sprouted out shortly after, stopping the cyclones before they could hit their targets. Then the rocks descended down once more, and Titan rose up from the waters. He struck down one massive fist, sending fissures in the pool that travelled up to the Hydraean.

The two Astrals faced off for several moments. You - and probably also many others that were witnessing the showdown - watched with bated breath until the goddess' form slowly dissolved into a flurry of golden lights. The same happened to Titan as well. Eventually, the two gods vanished, leaving behind the destruction of the city - which would have been eerily quiet if not for the Niffs airships buzzing overhead.

"Ugh…"

You turned just in time to see Luna collapsing on Noctis. One of her hands was interlocked with his. You rushed over in a hurry, checking for the vital points of both the Oracle and the King. They were alive. Unconscious, maybe - but alive.

Before you knew it, your body had relaxed and you fell on your butt. Adrenaline was still coursing your veins, causing your heart to thrum harder and faster in the confines of your ribcage. You closed your eyes and tried to calm yourself down. _ It's over… everyone’s okay. _

Then, out of the blue, you heard footsteps approaching. The clicks of a gun's safety (dozens of them, from the sound of it) being removed followed right after. You rolled your eyes and groaned.

"Not over just yet, huh…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For TeapotBandit: I hope you were as excited as I was with our boy Nyx appearing in this chapter


	22. The Last Stand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You prepared to face off the Imperial Chancellor and his troops - and was positively surprised to find that you were not going to fight them alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are finally at the climax!
> 
> This chapter originally consisted of 3 different chapters, including one that intersects with Episode Ignis. But after some considerations I decided to combine them into one chapter after all. I will post one more epilogue chapter to wrap up this fic.
> 
> Thank you for the kudos, bookmarks, and comments! I hope you are looking forward to reading this work until the end!

You rose to your feet and stood between the stairs and the sleeping royals. Your dagger was brandished on your right hand, while your left hand unfastened the knot of your tie as well as the first two buttons of your shirt. The Imperial troops climbed the stairs in two-and-two formation. Their guns raised up to you as each soldier spread around the Altar. You counted eight of them, and suspected there were more waiting downstairs - standing by for support.

As you raised your hands into a fighting stance, you took a deep breath in - and then let it out as a shout, “For hearth and home!”

You tossed the lightning bolt to the two Imperial soldiers in front of you, causing them to stagger as you warped closer. Your dagger slashed across them, and one of them keel over. You delivered a kick next, sending the other man down to the water, then turned around to cast a protective Wall around you to shield against the incoming bullets.

You dropped your Wall temporarily to retaliate - throwing a fireball to stop the soldiers from closing in. They managed to dodge it, however, and resumed firing their guns. You cursed under your breath before raising the Wall back up - stuck in the defending both yourself and the royals as you consider your options.

Not long afterwards, you saw figures land on the Altar and begin to attack the soldiers that were surrounding you. One of them summoned a spear from seemingly out of nowhere, taking on the Imperial troops by surprise and sweeping at least two of them off the Altar.

“Leonis! How are you holding up?”

The smooth, refined accent was most definitely Ignis’. You thought of answering him, but then saw an Imperial soldier about to swing down a sword at Ignis.

“Ignis, watch out!”

Ignis turned just in time to see Ravus taking the blow with his own sword. Verrum followed shortly after, switching her gun into a blade and struck up at the enemy soldier, sending him flying into the air.

“Hey, Leonis!” shouted Verrum between landing back from her acrobatic attack and kicking at another soldier’s shin. “Thought you might be too proud to ask for help, so we decided to crash your party.”

Next to her, Ravus stabbed at the soldier that Verrum had started to attack, all the while harrumphing, “Save your breath for the fight, merc...”

The mercenary only chuckled. “Only because you ask very sweetly, hon.”

You dropped your Wall for good this time, and one of the soldiers standing behind your back took the chance to attack. You stepped aside, avoiding his sword, then leaned in and slashed up with your dagger. The soldier’s helmet flew away from the force of your counterattack before he fell on his back.

It was Tonnaer - the young soldier that you saw back in the Imperial base in Duscae.

Before you could react further, a gunshot echoed, and Tonnaer breathed out for the last time. You turned to see Verrum holding up her weapon - a hard look was on her face.

“Unlucky boy,” she remarked. “The Empire should stop these youths from enlisting.”

You didn’t know what to say in reply. Once, you were just like him, too: way too young to be on the battlefield, but wanted so badly to prove yourself strong enough to defend Lucis. Especially to your uncle.

You turned around on your heel to properly look at both Verrum and Ravus. The former had sheathed her weapon - her gun, blade, gunblade… whatever - while the latter knelt next to Luna. He picked her up and rested her limp body on his lap, checking for her vitals. A moment later, you thought you could hear him sob.

“Luna… she’s alive…,” he muttered, his voice breaking. Verrum knelt next to him and wounded an arm around his shoulders.

“That’s good, right?” It was low, but you could catch some words that Verrum was whispering. “Come on, Ravus. Let’s get out of here… the place’s swarming with Imperial troops.”

You averted your gaze from the platonic, yet intimate interaction between the two. Eventually, Noctis showed up in your field of view. Ignis was kneeling next to him, surrounded with glimmering green lights that you recognized as a healing spell. The sleeping King was unaware of everything that was happening around him.

You were about to take one step towards him and Ignis when you suddenly heard a voice calling out, “Iggy!”

* * *

At one point, a series of footsteps could be heard echoing up the stairs. Verrum looked up from Ravus and saw a tall, brown-haired man entered the altar.

“Gladio!” called Ignis as he got onto his feet. “How did you get here? Where’s Prompto?”

Instead of answering, the man smirked and took several steps closer towards Verrum's direction. Discreetly, she dropped her hand to the hilt of her gunblade.

“Well, well. What have we here?”

Verrum stood and matched Gladio’s smirk with one of her own. “Looking for a rematch, big guy? Unfortunately that will have to…”

Before she even finished her sentence, a hard blow landed suddenly on the Shield, sending him staggering back. The glimmering blue lights that were trailing afterwards told her that it was, in fact, a warp strike. Verrum blinked and watched you reappear, kicking back at Gladio until he was down the stone stairs of the Altar before warping once again after him.

Haphazardly, she and Ignis followed after you. Midway through the stairs, she gasped upon seeing the Chancellor of Niflheim himself clashing blades with you. Meanwhile, the Lucian King’s Shield was nowhere to be found.

“Ooh, fascinating. How are you able to see through my disguise so easily, dear Glaive?” purred the Chancellor once he dashed back to regain some footing. “Let me guess… My dear brother must have something to do with it. Did you swear an oath to him, by any chance?”

Limbs shivering, you absolutely had no intention to answer his question whatsoever. The one and only thing that you wanted to know was: “What the fuck do you want, Ardyn?!”

“First name basis now? Wow, our relationship advances fairly quickly.” He walked to the side, sword tapping nonchalantly on one shoulder. “And let’s not forget that we _ did _ kiss that one lovely night… under the moon and the stars that decorated the sky of Altissia.”

“Quit playing around and answer the damn question!”

“Oh, well, if you insist… here goes: I want to kill the Oracle and capture the King of Kings,” he answered with a nonchalant smirk.

_ Disturbed bastard…_, you thought, gritting your teeth. "What for?!”

“Why, to usher in a glorious age of darkness on Eos, of course,” he resumed. “Not exactly surprising, though, isn’t it? It’s all written down in the terms and conditions. Or the Prophecy, if you may.”

You cried out and sent a blast of fire his way. It was ultimately blocked by a pair of translucent weapons - a spear and a large shuriken - which materialized before the Chancellor with glimmers of red light.

“I don’t care what the prophecy says!! I won’t let you touch them!”

“Then show me what you got, Glaive.”

Both you and him tossed your weapons at each other and reappeared in a clashing warp strikes. One blue, while the other red. You sent up a punch afterwards, but it missed, and Ardyn quickly dismissed his sword to summon a silver dagger. You staggered back, barely evading his next attack. The short blade slashed at the collar of your shirt and you could feel a cut had formed underneath the torn fabric.

“Leonis!” shouted Verrum before opening fire. The Chancellor called upon his luminescent swords once more, blocking all the bullets. Cursing, she tossed out a grenade, which detonated upon contact with the Chancellor’s magical barrier and sent him back with a sharp gasp. Verrum took the small reprieve to catch up to you.

“Hey. Everything alright?” she asked without taking her eyes away from where her gun was pointing.

“I’m fine… it’s just a scratch,” you replied, feeling at your collar with one hand. The tip of your fingers touched past the blood at an elastic shock cord that was hanging around your neck - and you quickly discovered that it was cut off.

“Shit! The ring…”

“What the…?”

You thought Verrum was exclaiming out of confusion from hearing you. But she was actually surprised that, once the smoke from the explosion subsided, there were actually a troop of Imperial soldiers flooding into the Altar area from behind the Chancellor. One of them fired bullets at you and Verrum, one of which struck her on her arm.

Cursing under your breath, you throw fireballs at one, two, three soldiers, then warped to further strike at one of them with your dagger. A soldier tried to attack your side, but was stopped when Ignis’ dagger lodged itself into a gap in his armor. Another soldier nearby fell from the same attack.

“Everyone, regroup, now!” Ignis called out somewhere behind you.

Clicking your tongue, you warped back. Upon reappearing, you found yourself brushing shoulders with both Ignis and Verrum. Soft glimmers of green light surrounded the three of you, and you realized that Ignis was casting a healing spell. The cut on your shoulder was closed in an instance, leaving a tingling feeling on your skin. But by that time, the Imperial troop had already surrounded you.

“Cornered like street rats…,” commented Verrum.

“Not helping, Verrum...,” you muttered back.

“Unfortunately, I must agree that it is an apt description,” added Ignis somberly.

As you were watching the approaching soldiers warily, a purple lightning bolt suddenly blasted through one side of the troops formation. Ravus appeared shortly after, his prosthetic arm crackling with electric sparks.

“Insolent Imperials… you took my homeland, my birthright, and my family…”

He was about to unsheathe his sword when Ardyn materialized in front of him in a red-flickered warp, and swung a greatsword down at him. Ravus managed to raise his prosthetic arm to block it in time, but was still brought down to his knee. With his free hand, Ardyn released a purple-black blast that sent the High Commander’s back embedded into the stone stairs.

“Ravus!!”

“Verrum, no!”

Despite your warning, Verrum dashed forward, firing rounds of bullets which was easily deflected by the Chancellor’s rotating illuminating swords. Two soldiers tackled her down quickly, and she was eventually pinned down to the ground. Her magitek weapon was confiscated.

Cursing, you tossed your curved dagger towards her captors, but when you materialized again from the warp, the Chancellor had awaited you. Smirking, he blocked your attack with his broadsword and then slashed horizontally. The sheer trailing force was strong enough that, even if you managed to evade the attack, it was able to knock you back meters away. It took no time for soldiers to apprehend you afterwards: two were pressing you down against the cobblestone while one pointed a gun at you.

“Leonis!” you heard Ignis scream. You could only answer back with an unintelligible one.

“Ah, the Advisor and the Glaive. Fighting together.” The Chancellor’s smooth voice cut even among your frustrated screams. At the same time, Imperial soldiers brought the limp bodies of Luna and Noctis down from the Altar and laid them down before Ardyn, who glanced down briefly at them before looking back at you and Ignis mockingly.

“Come now. Why not follow your liege’s lead and stop resisting?”

“... Never!” spat Ignis, while you simply peered up hatefully from where you were pinned down on the floor. The bespectacled man charged forward soon after, only to have more soldiers tackle him and pin him down as well.

“Ignis!!”

“You risked life and limbs to safeguard the King of Kings…,” resumed Ardyn, seemingly unaffected by anything that happened before him. “... only to witness him fail spectacularly. The two of you must be sorely disappointed.”

You gritted your teeth. At the same time, you heard Ignis scream and wrestle against his captors, and soon enough he was standing freely on his feet. In his hand, he held something that gleamed in the light of the setting sun.

“I swore an oath to stand with Noct and keep him safe,” he exclaimed. “Whatever it takes, I _ will _ protect him!”

* * *

Ignis raised the gleaming thing that he was holding - which turned out to be the Ring of Lucii. You gasped sharply.

“No, Ignis!!”

You struggled in your hold, eventually managing to kick one soldier that was pinning you down in the groin. After getting to your feet, another soldier tried to shove you back down. So you grabbed at his arm and threw him over your shoulder.

“Ignis!! Don’t-” 

But you were too late. Ignis had put on the Ring of Lucii - his pained screams and howls resonated next all around the Altar. Bright cracks began to form all over his body, and blue light emanated from ones that was forming on his face. You could merely watch, helpless and horrified. But it was nothing compared to hearing the gleeful laugh of the Chancellor.

“You… maniac…”

You took steps forward, and with a scream, you tossed your dagger towards Ardyn. The warp strike happened once, twice, thrice. Each one of them was blocked by his array of illuminated swords. On your fourth warp strike, however, you struck down at him from midair - and you managed to stagger him back just enough for him to drop his fedora hat.

“My, my. You do make fast friends,” he chuckled. “But I wouldn’t have done that if I were you…”

Ardyn stood up, and one of his hands glowed purple and… black. You recognized the floating particles from when you last met him underneath the Disc, and couldn’t help the shiver that ran up your spine. He dashed towards you, ready to attack, and you held up your dagger in a defensive stance.

But Ardyn’s attack never hit. Someone had warped through you and blocked Ardyn, using a gleaming blue spear summoned from thin air. You held your breath upon recognizing that someone as Ignis. His hand - where he had put on the Ring of Lucii - burned bright in the dusk, as well as his left eye.

“I may not be of royal blood, but if a Glaive can harness the powers of the ring... then so can I!” he exclaimed before pushing further, then leapt up in the air to strike down with the spear on the ground below. The force that he sent was strong enough to make dents on the cobblestone, and you were lucky enough to be able to warp away from the collision point in time.

“Ignis!”

You called out to him again, but the bespectacled man was already warping ahead, trading blows with the Chancellor. At the same time, from the corner of your eye, you saw soldiers aiming their guns at him.

“Oh, no you don’t,” you muttered, sending a lightning bolt to one soldier and then warping and striking the other. A third soldier aimed his gun at you, but he was brought down by two gunshots from his side.

“Verrum!” you called out, glad that she managed to wrestle out of her own bond.

She clicked her tongue impatiently. “Go help Specs over there! I’ll take care of the minions.”

“Copy that.”

You flicked your dagger and reappeared in front of Ignis just as Ardyn was dashing towards him, your free hand opening and firing out a blast of fire. Ignis warped ahead of you soon after, brandishing one knife on each hand.

Afterwards, the fight turned into a blur of warps and thrusts and lightning bolts and kicks and fire blasts and blue and red lights. You thought little, and acted merely out of adrenaline rush and muscle memory. At one point, you sent a fiery punch aimed at Ardyn’s jaw, but he stepped back in time and took a far leap back. His iridescent red weapons floated all over him protectively.

“Well, wasn’t that exhilarating… I think I’ve had my fun for the day,” announced Ardyn while putting his fedora hat back on. He then flashed a wink at you. “Thank you for keeping me on my toes yet again, my dear Glaive.”

He then turned around... and warped away from the Altar, leaving behind a scattering of red crystals.

“... What the fuck?” was all that you could mutter upon realizing that the Chancellor, for the better or for the worse, was really leaving. You dropped to your knees - the adrenaline rush was quickly replaced by sheer exhaustion. You would have stayed in that position for a lot longer if it wasn’t for the pained groans and gasps that Ignis was making.

Cursing, you scrambled to kneel next to him. He was curled up on his side on the cobblestone, twitching and shivering. There was little light now that the sun had set, but you could clearly see his hand and eyes were _ burning_.

“Shit, Ignis…,” you cursed yet again. Without much thinking, you grabbed his hand and pulled off the Ring of Lucii from his finger. It was scalding hot, and you cursed yet again when the steel burned your skin. Covering your palm with the tip of your suit’s sleeve, you carefully picked it up from the ground and let it cool down while surrounded by the fabric.

To think that it burned so much without you even putting it on…

As you tilted your head back up, you saw Verrum approach the Altar and kneel next to Ravus, who lied unconscious on the dented staircase. Carefully, she picked up his healthy arm and wounded it around her shoulders. The way she woke him up and handled his limbs was nothing short of gentle.

Turning her grey eyes towards you, she announced, “We’re leaving now. I don’t know how yet, but we’ll find a way to distract the Niffs so you and the royal couple can recover.”

She glanced briefly down at Ignis - who was still writhing and gasping - before she looked back at you with a steely, but ultimately unreadable expression. “Try not to die, Leonis.”

You wanted to chuckle. But you barely had energy left, so you ended up sighing instead. “You too, Verrum. Take care.”

The mercenary flashed you a smile before slowly making her way out of the Altar, with Ravus limping and groaning by her side.


	23. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the battle at the Altar of Tidemother was finally over, you and the rest of the royal retinue scrambled to pick up what was left of the destructions.
> 
> At the same time, Luna received a prophetic dream and had to make a difficult decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song suggestion for this chapter: [All For You](https://youtu.be/myDmxI9EVC8) by Night Riots.
> 
> Please be warned that there is a depiction of panic attack in this chapter (which is quickly resolved).

Once Verrum and Ravus left, you found yourself sitting on the cobblestone path leading up to the actual altar, surrounded by puddles of water and fallen bodies. Ignis lied down not far from where you sat, and was writhing and sobbing under mere touches of your hand. You sighed and let your gaze wander to your right, where Luna and Noctis were huddled close. Under the cover of your suit jacket, you were aware that they were holding hands.

Just what was it that they were dreaming of? You couldn’t help but wonder, all the while reaching out your own hand towards where theirs were intertwined...

“Iggy! Noct! Holy fuck!”

Prompto’s sudden shouts effectively snapped you off any thoughts and made you pull your hand back as fast as you humanly could. By the time you regained focus, Gladio was already kneeling to your left, next to Ignis.

“Prom, you got any potion bottles left??”

“Y-yeah… just give me a sec.”

You watched the two of them scramble around for a potion bottle and let out a sigh. “I don’t think that’s going to work, guys…”

Gladio threw you a look that suddenly made you believe in what he said about the person that caused the scar on his forehead. “What do you mean?”

“I already tried healing him. It didn’t work. The scar’s still burning,” you tried to explain. Each sentence, although short, made you feel even more tired than before. “The other two’re alive, by the way. Don’t worry.”

“We need to get them to the hospital,” concluded Gladio after taking a closer look at Ignis. “Prom, can you carry Specs? I’ll carry Noct and the Oracle.”

“Aye, aye.”

While Prompto bounded over to Ignis, you felt Gladio’s amber eyes on you. They were less angry this time around.

“Hey... everything okay with you?” he asked. His touch on your upper arm was surprisingly gentle. You wondered if he had meant to touch your cheek instead, but hesitated at the last second. “Can you walk?”

You nodded after a moment’s pause, then got up to your feet slowly. Gladio followed after you, picking up your black jacket before helping you put it on. You thanked him, then stepped closer to Prompto and Ignis, wounding the latter’s limp arm across your shoulders.

“Eh, Leonis? Are you sure…”

“I’m fine,” you cut at Prompto’s sentence a little harsher than you had expected. “I want to help as much as I can.”

The blond man glanced back at Gladio, who made a small gesture between a nod and a shrug. He let out a sigh. “Alright, then…”

* * *

There was a certain hollowness gnawing inside your chest the entire time you took the journey to the nearest hospital, supporting Ignis on your shoulders. You didn’t know exactly why, and even remembering when you started to have such a feeling was a bit blurry. Once you, Gladio, and Prompto managed to check the other three into the ER, you finally had the time to sit down in the waiting room and think.

It had all started when Verrum and Ravus departed, you concluded. You had waited next to Ignis, then, who was writhing and gasping. You had tried to caress his back, a vain attempt at reducing his pain. His gasps turned into sobs, and you saw it as a signal to stop and withdraw your hand. You didn’t want to add to the pain that he had to suffer at the end of his life.

So you waited and waited… and Ignis continued on gasping and sobbing. He was in a lot of pain, you could tell. But he was still alive. Even after Gladio and Prompto arrived.

He had put on the Ring of Lucii, had been granted its powers - and he lived.

But Nyx didn’t.

… Ah. There it was. The Why. You raised your hands and saw that they were shivering.

What made the difference? Was it something that you did?

You grasped at the shirt above your heart, taking a long breath in and out.

Was it actually your fault that Nyx died? You didn't think so. It was the Lucian Kings of Yore that issued his death sentence.

But surely you could have done something. Like what you did for Luna and Ignis today. Only you never thought that there was any other possibility, back in Insomnia. You were much too focused on your own duty, just like what Crowe and Verrum said.

If you had stayed back in Insomnia instead of following your gods-given duty, would Nyx still be alive?

It was getting harder and harder for you to breathe. And your head was becoming light as well. You grappled at the edge of the plastic bench that you were sitting on to support yourself from falling over.

“Leonis!”

Not long after, you heard footsteps coming closer, followed with two hands steadying you up from your shoulders. A bunch of spiky blond hair showed up next in your field of view, along with concerned blue eyes and many, many freckles.

“Leonis, try to focus on me. Just me. Nothing else,” Prompto commanded next. And when you did follow what he said, focusing your entire attention on his freckles, he resumed, “Good. That’s really good. You are okay. Now, try to take a deep breath in… and then out. In, then out.”

You did as Prompto told you, breathing in and out deeply following his direction. Slowly, you found it easier to breathe, and you were back to breathing normally again. The realization left you in silence for a moment, before good manners told you to look back at the blond in the eye.

“Thank you,” you said. “... I didn’t know what came over me.”

Prompto smiled warmly. “Don’t worry about it. Anyone can have a panic attack. I sure had it often when I was younger…”

“Panic attack... huh.”

You hovered a hand over your throat while pondering on Prompto’s words. The blond took a seat next to you in the meantime.

"The doctor said Noctis and Lady Lunafreya will be fine," he said. “But Ignis is a... special case. They said they’d need a bit more time to operate on him.”

“Is that so?”

You felt the hollowness in your voice, but if Prompto noticed it, he didn’t let it show. One of his hands reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and a second later you saw him pull out a camera. He turned it on, but he didn’t aim the lens anywhere. Instead, he was scrolling through different pictures that were stored in the camera’s memory.

With little else to do, you couldn’t help but peek at the photos that Prompto was browsing. He leaned slightly to the side, seemingly aware of your snooping and perhaps even encouraging it. Most of the photos were landscapes - you could recognize the distinct sceneries of Leide and Duscae in some of them - and the rest were group photos and selfies. One selfie in particular - showing Prompto and the rest of the royal retinue trying to pose while being squeezed in the Regalia - invited a chuckle from your side.

“You take good photos,” you commented.

“Thanks,” he replied. “I was thinking of going to art school for it after serving in the Crownsguard, but… well, I guess it’s not possible now, huh?”

You flashed a small, empathetic smile. “Yeah… Imperial sieges are such bummers.”

“Tell me about it.”

From the corner of your eye, you could see Prompto’s lips twitch slightly. “Maybe it’s not my place to say this, but… you don’t need to face everything alone, you know?”

He then lowered his camera closer to his lap and directed his brilliant blue eyes at you. “I may not be a Glaive, but… actually, we’re all in this together, right? I guess… I just want to make sure that you know that. You are not alone, Leonis.”

You felt some warmth slowly began to spread in your chest and widened your smile. “Yeah. I know now,” you replied, nodding. “Thanks again, Prom.”

Prompto smiled back at you equally wide, and you couldn’t help but liken him to a bright sunshine.

A little less than an hour later, Gladio came rushing into the waiting room from the hallway. The urgency in his expression told you already that something had gone terribly wrong before he even opened his mouth.

* * *

Ignis’ surgery turned out to be mostly successful. Most of the success was attributed to the fact that he was going to live. But it still did not change the fact that he was going to wake up blind.

There was some anger, of course. Some shouts and punches to the wall. The doctor’s face was clearly tired when he said sorry, this is all that we could do. There were so many others who were wounded during the ravages of Leviathan, and the hospital wards could use some space. If you had somewhere else to stay in the city, could you please take your charges back and let them recuperate there?

So all three of you decided to head for the villa. It took two round trips in total, with a combined effort of Gladio’s strong back and a stretcher between you and Prompto. You laid Luna down first in her bed, then Noctis and Ignis in the spare bedrooms. Before long, Prompto managed to find a spare mattress hidden somewhere in the villa, arranged it on the floor by Ignis’ bed, and apologized before throwing himself down onto it. You could already hear him snoring seconds before his body hit the mattress.

“Unbelievable,” you scoffed. For a second, you thought of leaving the room and slipping into Luna’s bed. But then you remembered how she was holding onto Noctis’ hand as she lied unconscious on the Altar...

“Hey, don’t worry about it.” Gladio’s reassuring voice boomed from behind you. Soon after, you felt his hand rest gently on one of your shoulders. “If Prompto can find a mattress here, we should be able to find several others, too.”

“If you say so…”

But you never did find a second spare mattress. Even with two people with experience in reconnaissance military missions searching thoroughly inside the villa thrice over.

After a couple of hours, you found yourself sitting across from Gladio in the dining room. On the table stood an opened bottle of Altissian Barbera that you managed to find after rummaging through the kitchen, along with two empty, but clearly used wine glasses. Your suit jacket was somewhere in the villa, and you made a mental note to search for it tomorrow morning as you rolled the sleeves of your shirt to your elbows.

“Well,” you started. “Everything else may be terrible, but at least the villa is still standing.”

From the other side of the table, Gladio chuckled. “Yeah, I guess things could have gotten worse. All those wreckage that the Hydraean made...”

“Luna could have died,” you blurted. “But she didn’t. So fuck the gods, I guess.”

You got up to pick up the wine bottle. Just before you poured the last of its content into your own glass, your brain suggested another idea and you decided to take a swig directly from the bottle instead. When you put the bottle back on the table, you noticed a pair of amber eyes stare unblinking at your direction.

You wiped at a corner of your mouth with the back of your hand before blurting, “What? Never seen a lady drink directly from the bottle before?”

There were more chuckles on his side. Deep and smooth. “Trust me. You have no idea what ladies actually do.”

"Hm. Is that so?"

The alcohol in your system was giving you more courage - or stupidity, depending when in your life do you look back to this moment. It emboldened you enough to take steps around the dining table, reach a hand out, and tilt the stubbled, chiseled jaw of the King’s Shield so he was looking directly at you.

“And what do ladies actually do?” you asked, tilting your head. “Can you enlighten me, sir?”

His smile was small and controlled despite your provocation. “I would love to... but perhaps not in your current state.”

Gladio took your wrist and, without much thinking, you leaned in to capture his lips with yours. He gasped in surprise, but eventually kissed you back in earnest. Soon, the chair and the table were being moved, scraping against the tiled floor. His free hand sneaked around the small of your back and you climbed up to his lap, straddling him as you pried open his lips with your own. His lips, tongue, and mouth tasted just like the wine that you both had just drunk. The deep, shuddering moan that escaped Gladio’s throat sent a pleasant shiver down your spine, and your hand soon sneaked down between the two of you to find the growing bulge below his abdomen.

“_L__iar,_” you whispered shortly before biting at his lower lip - to which he replied with a grunt.

“... No.”

To your surprise, one of his hands found the nape of your neck and pulled you back. You stared at him dumbfounded, searching for his (dilated, wanting) amber eyes. For a moment, all that you could hear were the breaths that went in and out between you. Then he licked his lips and looked at you straight in your eyes.

“I don't mind being used as your escape from Nyx Ulric,” he said clearly and concisely. “But at the very least, I want you to be sober while we're at it.”

For several moments, all that you could do was stare at Gladio while trying to stave off the warmth that was pooling at the back of your eyes. Then, slowly and carefully, you replied, “I am not using you as an escape from only Nyx Ulric.”

There were subtle twitches that you detected in his brows. But other than that, Gladio showed no other signs of surprise. At one point, he let out a sigh and gathered you in his big, strong arms.

“Let’s just go to sleep, alright?” he suggested with a weary voice. “It’s been a long day…”

You nodded weakly and held onto his broad shoulders, letting yourself be carried by the King’s Shield towards the biggest vintage sofa in the sitting room. Sleep fell over you not long after, while his warmth and scent of leather surrounded your senses.

* * *

Luna would be lying if she said she had a peaceful sleep.

Her dreams were marred with images of Imperial troops closing in around her, as well as various daemons that strengthened their flanks. She fought as hard as she could, swinging the Trident against one enemy after another. But it was to no avail… the soldiers kept coming, and at one point an explosion burst from somewhere on her front, sending her flying and landing on her back.

When she opened her eyes again, she saw a figure of someone that looked like Noctis towering over her. His eyes glowed red, and the blood-soaked Trident was in his hand…

“... No.”

Luna blinked, and suddenly she was standing in a wide field populated with golden-colored grass. Some meters away, standing with his back facing her, was a man in black military uniform that she recognized as Nyx Ulric.

She thought of calling out to him, but then another figure entered her field of view. It was a man with short dark hair, wearing a robe that must have been in fashion during the late Solheim era. The robed man crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“I did not expect you to interfere with the rite,” he scolded. In retaliation, Nyx chuckled and turned around to face the other man.

“You out of everyone else should’ve expected that,” replied the Glaive with a shrug. “How else did I get here in the first place?”

“Fair point… just don’t make it too much of a habit.”

The robed man turned around - and looked directly at Luna. She couldn’t help but gasp upon seeing how similar the man’s facial appearance was to Noctis’.

“I suppose it is not yet the time for you to join us, Last Oracle,” he declared. “You should make haste to return - lest you may regret your visit in this realm.”

Luna wanted to ask what the man meant, but before she could open her mouth, the sky and the field and the two men melted away into darkness. She opened her eyes and immediately found herself staring into the canopy of her four-poster bed in Altissia.

Quietly, she began to get up and looked at her surroundings. She was all alone in the room, surrounded by a muted stillness. The lights of the morning came as stretches of lines on the wooden floor. Luna found herself stepping through those lights upon leaving the bed. Her bare feet barely made a noise as she walked past the empty hallway and down the stairs. Eventually she reached the sitting room, and the silence that she had maintained so far was inevitably betrayed by a soft gasp.

On the big velvet sofa which was the centerpiece of the room, she saw both Shields - hers and Noctis' - laid asleep. Gladio was on his back at the bottom, while you were lying half on your belly on his torso. Both of your chests rose and fell rhythmically, almost synchronously, and seemingly too deep in sleep to notice the Oracle’s presence.

After a moment, making sure that she wasn’t causing any more unnecessary noise, Luna turned on her bare heel and slowly made her way towards the patio doors leading to the back garden.

* * *

You woke up slowly at first, then with a start. When you fully opened your eyes, Gladio’s amber eyes looked back sleepily at you. His hand rubbed up and down your back assuringly.

“You’re fine. You’re in a safe place,” he muttered. Then a small smile floated up on his expression. “And nothing happened between us last night.”

If you could hide your warming face then, you would. The problem was that you were lying on little else than his broad, strong chest. The head of his eagle tattoo was covered under his sleeveless Crownsguard shirt, but you had a feeling that it was staring up at you judgingly.

“Thanks… for everything,” you finally managed to utter before sitting up on the sofa. “And I’m sorry.”

“Nothing to apologize for.” Gladio waved his hand and sat up himself before gesturing to the upper floor. “I think I’m going to check up on Ignis and Noct. Do you want to check up on Lady Lunafreya, too?”

“Hmm, I think I will go later... I want to let her sleep in a bit.”

“Fair enough. I’ll see you later, then.”

“See you.”

You watched Gladio rose to his feet and walked up towards the stairs. All the while, you tried hard not to blatantly stare at his behind. Sighing, you closed your eyes and began to rub circles around the side of your neck, trying to relax the stiff muscles there. Then you began to make your way towards the kitchen, thinking of grabbing a glass of water. Before you reached the glassware cabinet, however, you stopped in your track upon noticing cold draft blowing in. It took you another couple of seconds to notice that the patio doors had been left ajar.

Beyond the glass door, you saw Luna sitting on a bench with her back facing your way. She was still wearing her white dress, which was torn around the hem after the encounter with Leviathan. When you stepped past the doors and into the back garden of the villa, she turned and her slender neck bent delicately along with the white laces.

“Leonis,” she called out with a smile like the sunrise. “Come here and join me.”

So you walked closer and sat on the vacant space on the right of her. The sea was sprawled before you, glittering reflections of the early morning sun. A part of a ship's mast floated by on the water - a jarring reminder of yesterday's mayhem.

But even if you were sitting together on the same bench, there was still some distance between the two of you somehow. Luna realized this, and she couldn't help but notice it as a fixture in her relationship with you - a singular space where she couldn't quite reach out to you and _really touch_ you. Such space made its presence known on numerous occasions in the past - most notably whenever she woke up from an afterglow to find that you were gone.

And yet, when she found you this morning...

“I thought you were still sleeping,” you commented, to which Luna snapped out of her drifting thought and let out a soft chuckle.

“I thought I would not be alive anymore,” she replied. The ease in her voice was almost scandalous to your ears. “But I suppose fate works in a strange way.”

You hummed. “Maybe. Or maybe the gods are wrong.”

“Or maybe they are right - and you defied Their expectations.”

You turned away from the sea landscape and saw that Luna was staring back at you. Two different oceans in one second.

“All that I wanted was to save you,” you told her without hesitation. “And I will never regret that I did. Even if it goes against the gods’ will.”

Luna resumed staring at you a moment more before flashing a small smile. She then lifted her hand and placed it against your cheek, reminding you of how cold her skin was compared to yours.

“And I hope you trust me when I say I am eternally grateful for that.”

Her hand and eyes dropped down shortly after, and a breeze blew in from the sea between the two of you. She was quiet again for several moments before resuming, “I think that… I have to ask you to refrain from being my Shield… and instead join Noctis' retinue.”

It was as if someone had thrown a bucket of cold water directly on your chest. You turned away from Luna and looked again to the sea.

“Why?” you asked after letting more silence stretch between you. Keeping your voice calm and clear had suddenly become a gargatuan effort.

On your peripheral view, Luna clasped both of her hands on her lap. “Because… it is ordained that… Noctis will die… in order to bring Light back to Eos.”

You closed your eyes and let out a heavy, quivering sigh. Just how many more sacrificial lambs did the Astrals need? Couldn't they get rid of the Scourge themselves if they really were as all-powerful as the Cosmogony described them to be?

But you asked none of those questions. Instead, what came out of your mouth was, “... Does anyone else know?”

Even without opening your eyes, you could somehow feel that Luna was shaking her head next to you. “Only the Accursed and those chosen by the crystal knew about the complete prophecy.”

“And how about Noctis? Does he also know that he has to sacrifice himself as soon as the crystal crowns him King?”

There was silence. You let out another sigh and opened your eyes wide to the clear blue sky. A single seagull was flying overhead - a spot of white among the vast expanse of blue.

“Do you think it will work a second time?” you asked, breaking the silence. “Can I really save him and still have the Light returned to Eos?”

“I do not doubt it,” you heard Luna say, without any trace of uncertainty. “Not after everything that you have told me.”

“... I see.”

You tilted your head down slowly and then turned towards Luna completely. She was staring ahead towards the sea, with a small smile on her expression. But when she returned your gaze, there was a hint of sadness in her blue eyes. Upon seeing it, a little part somewhere inside your ribcage throbbed with ache.

“So… I guess this is really the end, huh?” _ Of being your Shield, of whatever it is between us... _ but you didn’t need to say that last part out loud.

It was only after a moment’s silence that Luna made a small nod.

“It is an end of something, yes,” she agreed.

Tentatively, she reached out to your hand that was gripping at the edge of the bench. Her eyes - blue like the ocean - were fully on yours, while the sound of the sea waves ebbing and crashing filled your ears.

It was the one image of Luna that you would often remember in the years to come.

“But at least it is not a farewell.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to let you guys know that I have made some plans regarding the continuation of this story, but I’m most probably going to take a break from writing for a little bit. It has been an intense few months and I’m really grateful that I had both the inspiration and energy to finish both this fic and The Last Glaive.
> 
> To all of you who have been following this journey with me chapter by chapter: thank you so very much. This was one of the most immensely creative times that I have ever experienced in my life, and I’m glad I got to share it with you.
> 
> If you want to be notified when I do post the continuation, please subscribe to [The Ring Bearer](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1461169) series! And if you want to contact me, you can do so via my [Tumblr](https://rolerei.tumblr.com).


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